


School + Pain = Sadness

by brainlessomniscent



Category: Homestuck
Genre: All the Rage, Also Romance, Bullying, But also later, DaveJade romance, During Alpha Timeline, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, High School, Like homestuck, Marching Band, Multi, Plot comes later, Rage, Running around at first, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Loathing, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-08-27 11:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 32,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8400283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brainlessomniscent/pseuds/brainlessomniscent
Summary: How exciting this is going to be!  Jade Harley has the two best friends in the world, she's in band with them and nothing can go wrong here in Derse, right?  Um, Derse High School of course.  But she meets Dave Strider and suddenly she's falling for this dorky outcast in goofy glasses and a breathtakingly romantic side.  Will Jade ever learn that high school is MEANT to be hell?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> These entries will be small because I have a lot of stuff to do but hopefully this means I can keep a consistent posting cycle!
> 
> Please bear with me I'm a nut for editing. Thanks!

FRESHMAN YEAR  
You’re name is JADE HARLEY. You play THE FLUTE in YOUR HIGH SCHOOL BAND. You have several friends there, including KARKAT, ROSE and SOLLUX. Everyday after school, you and Sollux HANG OUT, messing around with video games and- 

Okay this narration is a little heavy handed for a story. Let's change it up a bit. 

Jade Harley enters high school for the first time straight into band. She joined on a whim a couple years ago, wanting to join her friends. Now she’s been in it for over a year and her whole life is with that band. She's last chair but doesn't mind as she has several friends that make band worth the pain. As she passes Rose and Sollux, they high five and Jade sets up. Same as usual. Jade twists the end of the flute and gives it a blow. A sharp whistling sound comes out. Flustered, Jade lowers it until the rest of the band starts warming up, too. 

As the class readies itself, the band director, nicknamed Arrogant Regulator, moves to the podium. The band straightens as he clears his throat. 

“Welcome our newest members to the program. Stand.” Rising with the rest, Jade smiles and twists childishly in place as she looks around the room. Most of her friends from the Prospitian Junior High Band has moved up too, and even her brother grudgingly decided to join as a trumpet player. He smiles awkwardly at her as she grins. Scanning the low brass area, she noticed one scrawny blonde on trombone standing. He was the only freshman she'd never met. 

“Now, sit down.” Jade frowns, sort of thoughtful. Who was that kid? He was awfully skinny…. And what’s with the shades? The director raises his hands. Jade mentally shook herself out of her thoughts. A mystery for another time. The band settles and begin to play.


	2. Chapter 2

“FUCKING TRY ME.”

Jade turns, curious at the very loud argument Karkat was having. He was talking to the blonde trombonist, whose shades were on, even in the classroom. Irritated, the boy said in a mid puberty voice (obviously trying to keep it low), “I told you, dumbass, it's called the respiration cycle.”

“I’M TELLING YOU, ASSHOLE, IT’S THE FUCKING CALVIN CYCLE.” Jade smiles, knowing that despite his careless attitude toward school, Karkat was pretty smart. She brushes her hair over her shoulder and eavesdrops as she compares answers with Rose. 

“So Rose, what's the difference between stoma and stomata? 

“OH, YOU WANNA GO, YOU IGNORANT GERM? LET’S ASK THE TEACHER.”

Pause. 

“I think you should make it a bet.” Jade grins. Since joining band, John had started trailing Karkat everywhere. His kindness often soothed Karkat’s sick burns on various students but he couldn't help himself to some bank on prankster’s gambit. It was gonna rocket if he based it off of Karkat.

“The fuck you mean, playboy bunny,” the blonde asks. John frowns.

“THAT’S A FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC IDEA. THANK YOU, JOHN.” Jade stares down at her worksheet, holding her breath. 

“I BET YOU FIVE DOLLARS THAT I’M RIGHT.” Jade hears scuffling and a backpack unzip. 

“Deal.” Jade hears him slam the five on the table. 

Karkat raises his hand and asks (shouts) politely, “MA’AM I HAVE A QUESTION.” The biology teacher comes over. 

“FOR QUESTION FIVE, IT’S THE CALVIN CYCLE. RIGHT?” She skims the problem, reading the answer for a few seconds as Jade smirks knowingly. This kid was going to be so pissed. 

“Yes, that's right.”

“OKAY, THANKS.” Jade hears Karkat cackling and taunting as the blonde puts the 5 in his hand, cursing the whole time. 

She shakes her head, unaware of the friendship blooming in the back row of the classroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Despite his awkward words and silent composure, the blonde quickly joins Jade’s group of friends. His name is Dave Strider. He lived in Houston, Texas but transferred to a suburban school after his bro decided he needed more privacy for his smuppet set up. When Jade asked what that was for Rose just shook her head and made Jade promise to never find out.

Rose and Dave were actually ecto-siblings, Rose said, and though they talked a lot and hung out at family reunions, he had become a little too rude for her to want to be close friends at the moment.

Dave loved to argue with their friends, so Jade could see where Rose would lose hope. He would often talk (or rap) himself into complex metaphor circles that only Karkat understood. He was alright, Jade thought. Strange, though. 

Even after her group of friends accepted Dave, she couldn't find the time to talk to him. They hung out in the same group of friends and she even intervened in his arguments with Karkat a few times but somehow missed talking directly to him. The group split in a daily routine of tiny 3-person groups in high school: Karkat, John, Dave and Rose, Sollux and Jade. (Sollux was an honorary girl by class schedule design, Karkat would say. Sollux would tell him to go suck a bulge.) It worked out okay, though. She saw them all the time, just never alone. It still worked! ... For freshman year, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

SOPHOMORE YEAR:  
Jade slumps into Chemistry class, grudging her past classes. It’s been awful, and she hasn’t been anywhere near her friends! She settles beside Rose, grateful to sit next to a friend, even if Sollux wasn’t there. Too bad.

Behind them, the boys bicker privately.

“What this time?” Jade wonders. Rose shrugs.

“I don’t know, something redundantly vulgar, I suppose.” Rose rolls her eyes as Jade smiles tightly. She’s really been pitch for Karkat lately, and doesn’t seem to like Dave much better. Jade wonder what happened between the friends.

“Is something wrong?” Jade questions as she pulls out her books.

“Hm?” Rose’s eyes focus on Jade. “What was that? I was worlds away.”

“You seem really bothered by Karkat lately.”

Rose hesitates, scratching her wrist. “I don’t know. His manner has just been getting to me lately.” She grimaces and glances back at the boys. “He’s kind of an asshole. Not even a joking asshole, he’s been rather horrible even for him. I bet it’s Davey dearest.” Jade tilts her head and absently flips pages on her science notebook. 

“Yeah, but I mean, he’s always been like that.”

“I dunno, it kind of bothers me...” Pause. “My headaches don’t help.”

“The voices of the horrorterrors getting to you?” Jade teases brightly. Rose rolls her eyes and fluffs her short hair. 

“Kind of hard for them not to.” 

Jade nods sympathetically as the teacher finally addresses the class. 

“Be ready,” the bearded stallion booms. “I am Mr. Horuss Zahhak and I will be giving you seating charts. You will be there the entire year, unless you have disabilities etc etc. Now pay attention.” He wipes the sweat off of his head and starts calling names to different lab tables. Jade cringes when Rose is called first and gets more gloomy as the list goes on. She’s not going to sit next to friends in any class, is she?

“In the middle row, Nektan, Jade, Dave, Mierfa.” Jade internally grimaces. Two people she didn’t know and Dave, whom she didn’t talk to. Fun. She quietly moves to her seat and smiles shakily at Dave. 

“Hi, Dave!” He nods and starts unpacking his bag. Good start.

“I uh, hope we get to know each other better! You know we’ve kinda run in the same circles without really talking.” 

Again, he nods, and keeps his shades aimed low. Jade blushes and lets her hair fall as a curtain between them. What happened to the passionate loon that raps metaphors when he argues? 

The class passes in a confused blur, lessons mixing and classmates shouting. 

Dave doesn’t say a word to her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Thank you for those who've been reading already I appreciate it :D

Jade listens to the boys arguing, head bent over her notes. This class wasn’t nearly as exciting as she thought it would be, but sufficient until they got to chemical explosions. That seems like it will be fun! 

In the meantime, she was cramming last minute for a test. It was actually pretty hard stuff and none of her friends have really done well in this chapter. All she could do was try.

“Alright, class,” Mr. Zahhak clears his throat in a deep bass. “I have a surprise.” The class settles back into their seats.

He waits for people to pack away their study aids, Karkat and John secretly looking them over from the back row. 

“As this is the first test, and exceptionally STRONG in difficulty, I will allow you to have partners.” Jade raised an eyebrow as various classmates glanced around excitedly. How silly they were. Well, at least Rose knew what she was doing… 

Jade turns, mouth open to shout to her friend… huh? Rose is talking to the girl she sits next to…. Kanaya is her name. But without Jade! Panicking slightly, Jade turns to Karkat and John… who are already working together. Oh no. She doesn't want some douche copying her work again. This only leaves…. 

“Hey, Dave, do you want to work together?” she blurts. Jade gives a shaky smile as Dave too, turns away from Karkat and John. 

“Yeah,whatever, I guess.” He nods stoically and she mentally rolls her eyes, but just smiles brightly. 

“Okay, Coolkid!” She laughs nervously and scoots for him to sit at the same table, bouncing her knee quickly. Was that a nervous reaction? No, not at all! She was totally cool with this ominous quiet between her and a kid she’s known so long but never talked to… 

She relaxes a bit as they focus on the test. This isn’t so bad. Actually, the test is pretty hard, she needs to concentrate, who cares about this awkwardness? She has a growing conviction to say something.

“Okay, I’m pretty sure that equilibrium is independent of concentrations.” Hell yes. She has so got this test.

A crease forms over his shades as he frowns. “No, Jade, it has to change.”

Jade frowns now. “No, it doesn’t change to volume and concentration, it was an exact rule… I think it’s just temperature that can change an equilibrium constant here.”

“Jade, trust me, I know what I’m doing. I've got this shit like ranch on tacos cuz that honestly is a beefy crunchy mess I‘d kill for right now.” What. Jade stays silent, confused at his meaning. He writes his explanation on their test, which looks pretty not right but if he’s sure… 

“I mean, I guess.” She lets him write his answers, and they continue to finish with the test. No problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget I love feedback, by all means comment and correct and suggest :) thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

“This is a problem!” Jade yelps, looking over her paper. “5/14? Are you kidding me?” Rose glances curiously. 

“Yes, what happened here?” 

Jade glares at the paper. 6. Damn. Points. Dave motherfucking Strider cost her 6 damn points and didn’t have the decency to apologize. Boy did she have some words for him!

When she takes her seat in Chemistry, Jade angrily takes her tools from the desk, wondering if she’d get in trouble for stabbing him with a pencil. He was so skinny, she could probably turn him into a kebab if she wanted to!

He strides in and awkwardly folds his long legs under the table, proceeding to dig his science stuff out of his backpack. Jade grips her pencil tightly, threatening it to snap. However, her face is cool as she raises an eyebrow at the blonde.

“Do you need something?” He drawls. What a jerk! He’s playing coolkid after tanking her test score!

“Yes, I was wondering if you realized we lost 6 points and they were all your fault!” He looks directly at her and a barely seen eyebrow pops over the top of his shades. It was so pale, she wouldn't have seen it without expectation.

“Yeah? What about it?”

“Well, I was kind of hoping for some explanation, or I don’t know, an apology?”

A tiny smirk forms on his lips. “Why didn’t you try harder?”

“Excuse me?”

“You know, you could have fucking tried to convince me you were right. You were just like ‘oh, I uh, I'm Jade Harley and I'm super quiet but um, I’m pretty sure…’ when that kind of gives me the impression of a green marshmallow wearing a bikini. Not strong or confident in itself, starts getting too nervous for a runway show. It vomits out of fear and the sticky marshmellowiness has the consistency of jizz, it's so weak.” 

Jade stares as his shades point forward. What the heck. She thinks it over, trying to discern meaning from his weird metaphor. 

“So you want me to fight?”

He leans back in his chair. She hopes he falls over. “Hey, it’s your grade, short stuff, as much as that means in this prison.” 

Jade wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Excuse me? I'm not that short! It’s not my fault you’re practically ten feet tall!”

His smile twists. “Sure thing, Harley.”

Jade makes it her mission to argue with him from then on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to give me feedback! Thank you for the kudos lovlies :)


	7. Chapter 7

“Dave, I SWEAR to you, I PROMISE you, b is the right answer!”

“Jade, I’m telling you. C is the right answer. I'm as sure about that as Cool Ranch Doritos are delicious and a smuppets ass is plush.” For the 3rd time in one class period, Jade Harley raises her hand to call Mr. Zahhak.

He lumbers over and sighs as he leans. “What is it now?” 

“Number 13! Dave thinks it’s c, but-” Mr. Zahhak puts a hand up, smiling slightly as he read over the problem. 

“... The answer is b.” 

“Ha!” Dave rolls his head dramatically in a full head-and-neck eyeroll as Jade sticks her tongue out at him. “I TOLD you!”

Mr. Zahhak smiles as he stands again. “Dave, I STRONGLY recommend you listen to her. Every time you two fight, she has been right.” Mr. Zahhak eyes another raised hand. “Excuse me.” He hurries off.

“Hear that Dave, you should just listen to what I tell you!” Jade smiles playfully. “Or is Dave Strider so COOL that he can't listen to a tiny girl that’s still SMARTER than him?” He shakes his head, smiling faintly. 

“Yeah, yeah, this time. I’m still fucking right on everything else, Harley.”

“But that’s not true most of the time, is it, Dave?” Jade inwardly cheers at another victory at this stupid, argumentative lame-o! Jeez, he sure argues a lot for having no idea what he’s saying half the time. It’s been 5 months and he still tries. How silly of him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget, please leave me feedback lovelies! youre the best thank you :)


	8. Chapter 8

“Dave, what do you mean you never believed in Santa Claus?” John asked with wide eyes. “That’s like not believing in Nic Cage!”

Dave shakes his head and leans back his chair. “Bro only lies about how sexy it is to eat Doritos with ketchup and honey, that shit was nasty. But he made sure I knew every good thing came from hard work and sweet smuppet ass mixed with casual bongos.” Jade cringes but laughs at that. Lunch was the best now. Her little friend group spends all their time in Mr. Zahhak’s class to study and have lunch together. They really needed it, because this class was so difficult!

“Dave, you know Santa could exist. I mean you never know,” Jade remarks slyly. She munches on some crackers as he slowly turns to her.

“No he can’t.” Dave scoffs.

“But he can!” Jade argues. “Anything can exist in this universe, if we don’t know the rules to it!”

“Santa Claus doesn’t fucking exist,” Dave insists.

“Oh, of course not,” Jade scoffs (internally twinging as her childhood took another blow). “But doesn’t mean he can’t.”

“You really think there’s some bald fatass in a red suit, flying around with REINDEER handin-”

“No, no, Dave, I’m not saying he exists, just that he can.”

“The laws of fucking gravity say-”

“No, but the whole thing about Santa Claus is that he has magic, right? He has some ways to change the physics of our universe, even as we know it!”

“Jade, he can’t exist.”

“He doesn’t, but he can.”

“No, he fucking can’t!”

“Dave, according to the rules of magic, he can!” Jade and John laugh, pranksters’ gambits soaring as Dave stares at the two siblings.

“Magic doesn’t exist.”

“But it can.”

“Not according to the damn Bilious Slick universe-”

“Nope, but that’s what magic is supposed to do, change the universe!”

Dave sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. Mr. Zahhak enters the class and asks, “Why is Dave sounding so horse?”

John grins and explains, “We’re trying to convince Dave that Santa Claus can exist.”

Mr. Zahhak eyes John curiously and begins, “You don’t actually believ-”

“No!” Jade promises quickly, “But in theory, if magic is supposed to resist the universe’s rules, he could right?”

The three youngsters look up as Zahhak thinks for a moment.

“Well, I mean he could.” Dave scoffs at the teacher. “Dave, you would have to prove that Santa Claus does not exist in order to show he can’t.”

“Ha!” Jade cheers. Dave fumes.

“But Mr. Zahhak, he doesn’t. Fucking. Exist.”

“As Jade mentioned, it doesn’t mean he can’t. You would have to search every square inch of the North Pole to show his workshop is not there… what a wonderful engineering area that must be…” 

Dave sighs. “But what if I found some random fat, sleazy guy without any reindeer or magic…”

Mr. Zahhak considers. “Well, then I suppose he’s Santa Claus.”

“BOO YEAH!” Jade and John laugh their hearts out at Dave’s face. What a glorious time.


	9. Chapter 9

“Does anyone want any food?”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you!” Jade enthused. Dave stares for a moment, then shrugs before heading down the stands.

“Be right back,” she promises Rose and Sollux. They shrug and continue to conspire as Jade rushes to join Dave.

It was championships for their band, and it was fairly impressive they made it considering all the alternate selves they had to beat. A lot of them were better at music! But this year was the one. They made it in at 8th and felt pretty dang proud this time!

Derse Marching Band had finished their performance and was eating, watching other performances. So why not do just whatever she’d like? If that thing was talk to Dave, so be it! He was just sooooo coooool!

Jade giggles as she catches up with Dave and he slows his stride for her. 

“Dave, haven’t you gone for food 6 like, times already?”

“Yeah, so?” Dave deadpans. “I mean, ‘oh gosh, I soooooo need to watch my weight, shoot, fiddlesticks’.” She glances over at his scrawny frame, slightly embarrassed. She had gotten used to it, but underneath his baggy clothes, he was practically skin and bones, and not in a usual teenage boy way.

“Oh, right.” She grimaces. “I actually forgot how skinny you were. I mean, it’s not like I look or anything!” He raises an eyebrow as she flushes. “I mean, just, you know-” Wow, he could fluster her in a hurry. She cuts herself off, knowing she would make it worse.

After a moment of silent composure, Jade articulately asks, “Dave? Why are you so tiny?” They step into the concessions line and wait. Dave thinks for a minute.

“Well, assuming you don't mean my height,” Jade rolls her eyes. Of course she didn't mean height, that stupid tree!

“ I mean I kind of get it from Bro.” He tilts his head over to look at her. “I mean, my dad, I guess, because motherfucking science. I dunno, Mrs. doctor head Crocker said it’s just kinda how I am, in my genes, blah blah. Once Bro found out, he’s been trying to help me gain weight but it just doesn’t happen, no matter what I eat.”

Dave pauses his story as they order. She gets some fries and he gets chocolate covered strawberries. Weird, but why not when a cooking queen can be found anywhere in the Crocker family?

As they head back to the stands, Dave continues. “That’s kind of it. It’s bad shit too, like, I’m pretty sure being this small is illegal on Alternia. Get my shit wrecked for unsatisfying genes and whatnot.” He pops a strawberry in his mouth as they continue in silence.

As they go up to the stands, Jade sees that John stole her seat, chatting happily with Rose.

“Aw, phooey!” Jade huffs.

“Woah, watch the fucking language there, Harley.” Dave gives a genuine smile. “You can just sit up top with me. Look, Karkat’s not even there, he’s sucking up to ‘Rez.” 

The pair passes a moping Karkat and sit above the mess of a band. They chat about nothing in particular (“first aid is important, Dave! What if you accidentally get shot or something?” “Well when the fuck is that ever going to happen?”) when Jade starts to shiver a bit. A lot.

“Woah, you okay?”

“Yeah, I guess it’s that there’s not much to protect me from the wind! And I forgot my band jacket.” Jade starts to rub her shoulders when Dave immediately stops her.

“Hold on, you can borrow mine.” 

“Won’t you be cold?”

“Nah, it’s not that bad, you’re just a fucking wuss.” His mouth twitches slightly in a Dave smirk Jade has come to be fond of. She takes the jacket, fumbling with the zipper slightly.

“You grew up in Houston, how are you not cold?”

“Yeah, but you’re a girl, therefore, you’re a wuss when it comes to cold.”

“Are not!” 

“Are too.”

“Dave, excluding moving here, how much have you ever travelled?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“It shows that you’re a wuss, like John.”

“John is the ultimate wuss.”

“And he’s better than you!”

“Is not, that boy be wussier than a fucking level 5 Abra, all he knows is running away.”

“And he’s still better than you.” Jade nods. “And that’s final.” Dave smiles a bit.

“Want the last strawberry?” he offers. Jade eyes it suspiciously.

“What did you do to it?” He looks at her funny.

“Jade, why would I do anything to it?”

“If you’re friends with John long enough, you start to pull pranks.” Dave sighs, exasperated.

“That’s just about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard get said. Now take the damn strawberry before I throw it at Egghead down there.” She thinks about it for a second and then takes the strawberry.

“Thank you, Dave,” she mumbles around the strawberry. Jade leans against the back rail, the breeze whooshing through her hair lightly as the jacket successfully warms her. Dave focusses on the next performance and she closes her eyes, listening. The bells start the show in a slow, smooth rhythm, crescendoing like the performers were born with mallets in their hands. The silky chocolate melts into a bright burst of sweetness in her mouth as she reaches the strawberry part. She breathes in the cold air and takes in the jackets scent with it.

It reminds her of a warm day at home, comfortable and relaxed. She perks up, happy for this lovely scent bringing her such happiness and warmth on this cold day, even knowing they wouldn’t win. That’s okay, because she has Dave, lovely, silly Dave that gives her the last strawberry and puts up with her teasing and gives her his jacket…

Jade flushes, her whole body warm. She smiles, giddy as she realizes she may be a little bit in love with Dave motherfucking Strider. And it is awesome.


	10. Chapter 10

APRIL 13  
Jade laughs breathlessly. 

(show pesterlog)  
GG: i mean i didnt think I could feel this way??? i mean i sort of felt it with karkat and i wont lie, even sollux but dave just makes my head spin!

She smiles giddily to herself and waits for her phone to buzz, thinking of Dave. Oh, GOG, he was just so great? She really wants him to know that, it’s so GOOD feeling like this! This feeling was just so pleasantly warm and happy and she wishes she could make him feel like this! Jade falls back into a pile of Tangle Buddies and thinks about how things have been.

She wanted to be sure she liked him before she started telling people. So she thought about it and waited awhile before confirming. She remembers walking off the field with him after practice, holding his water as he helped with the heavy equipment. She remembers their competitive arguments in Chemistry. She remembers how cheerful she is whenever she talks to him. 

Yeah. She was heads over heels. 

Jade squeals at the sound of her computer and nearly falls over trying to get to it.

AG: Wow, you seem pretty excited about him! Jade Harley, finally stepping up in the world from unromantic pity dates to someone REALLY worth her time. I mean, good for you! ::::)

Jade sighs, sheepish that she was hoping for Dave to message her. Come to think of it, she didn’t think he HAD her chumhandle. 

GG: vriska you know its not like that! i told equius yes because of various reasons  
AG: Yeah, and we 8OTH know those reasons all include that you felt 8ad for the guy! I mean, he’s no looker and I KNOW you wanted nothing to do with that sweaty creep.  
GG: yeah but i dont know, i guess i wish you would say it less harsh? :/

Jade sighs and leans back a bit from her computer. Vriska had gotten over some major problems in the last few years but could still be a handful! Jade and John care about her, but since the band still hates her for a few “incidents”, she had joined a new friend circle. Jade still came to her for plotting advice. Even if she could be insane, she was still really smart!

AG: Look, we’re getting off topic here.  
AG: He sounds a little off putting 8ut I know you’re stuck deep in his we8. Disregard that I mentioned sticky, white stuff coming from him, you wriggler.

Jade sighs, relieved.

GG: so what do you think i should do?  
AG: Ask him out, of course!

Jade’s jaw drops.

GG: what?!  
AG: You heard me!  
AG: Sweep him off his feet! 8e a goddamn gentleman and go get him!  
GG: i cant do that!  
AG: You can or I will. :::;)  
GG: huh?  
AG: Get the guy 8efore I do! That’s your challenge.  
AG: I mean, he is rather easy on the eyes, don't you think?  
AG: So I recommend getting a move on 8efore this spider gets close enough to sink in her fangs.   
GG: thats not fair vriska, youre better at this than me! :(  
AG: Good luck, 8a8y Harley. ::::)  
AG: And tell John happy 8irthday!

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG] 

Ugh, stupid spider bitch! Was right. 

Jade falls back into the Tangle Buddies pile, sighing in exasperation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would love some feedback you guys :) But I'm glad some of you are enjoying it! Love you guys!


	11. Chapter 11

“Hey, Dave!” Jade greets enthusiastically. “What's up?”

“Not much, little lady. Got some sweet remixes cooking if you wanna check ‘em later.” Dave settles next to her during lunch, same as always. “Hey, you know what this is?” He holds up a sticky note on his desk. 

“Huh? Just got here,” she lies. “What's it say?” She pulls out her notebook and holds her breath. 

“... It says ‘you’re beautiful’. What?” Dave stares at the note, flipping it over. Jade hides a grin, waiting. John walks in, and greets the two as he sits at the next table over. 

“Hey guys!” He grins and Jade gives a silly smile back. 

“Hey John, did you put this here?” John and Jade look at Dave and her heart sinks a bit as John takes the note from Dave. He mouths the words quietly.

“No. I can't imagine who would, you look like a damn nerd to me.” John snickers as Dave playfully punches him. “Maybe you have a secret admirer.”

Panicking slightly, Jade blurts out, “no, this is a school thing!” The two look at her. Talking quickly, “yeah, it's about spreading positivity and stuff! I forgot, but you're supposed to like, leave silly happy notes around for people to find!” 

The boys think it over when Rose walks in.

“Oh, I'm going to talk to Rose!” Jade absconds to the door and has to resist hugging her.

“Hi!” Jade greets, over enthusiastic. “How are you, Rose? Let's talk!” Jade grabs Rose tightly and drags her away. 

Attempt failed.


	12. Chapter 12

\-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 6:12 pm --

TG: hey jade  
GG: hi  
GG: whos this?  
TG: its dave  
TG: john gave me your chumhandle, the dork  
GG: oh  
GG: why?  
TG: i asked  
TG: whats the chem homework tonight  
GG: just finish the lab  
GG: im pretty sure thats it  
TG: k cool  
TG: thanks jade   
GG: yeah!  
GG: um dave   
GG: you still there?  
TG: yeah  
GG: okay  
GG: uh i have to tell you something  
GG: its pretty big!  
TG: ok  
GG: um i like you  
GG: like as more than a friend  
TG: okay  
GG: okay???  
TG: yeah  
TG: thank you?  
GG: um  
TG: okay  
GG: yeah um  
GG: talk to you tomorrow?  
TG: later

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

Jade slumps into her Tangle Buddies pile. 

She hates everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! just kinda checking in with another chapter.... 
> 
> i figured out what kind of format i wanna do for this story now, im ready >:] its going to have a lot of shorter chapters at first, building the scenes, and the differences in the characters here versus the canon, but ive figured it out and so the later chapters will have more beef, will be better structured and have aaaaaaall the plot. nothing but plot. 
> 
> just hold out on these juicy little tidbits so i can write out some rad length into this. i promise, this will make the story better!
> 
> but i hope i have your interest for now, and you dont mind these little builds to the real stuff.
> 
> once again, please please please comment some feedback, or if you have any questions. thank you guys soooooo much for reading to this point i hope you like it! 
> 
> love ya lots!
> 
> later :D


	13. Chapter 13

THE NEXT DAY  
Jade goes into chemistry just as the bell rings. Despite her best attempts, he is sitting there, right next to her seat like every chemistry class.

She hunches over, letting her hair fall as a curtain in between them. 

“Hey, Jade.” She tenses and flicks her hair over her shoulder to look at him. 

“Hi.” She looks at him sheepishly while he arches an eyebrow over his glasses. 

“So you like me?” His face remains impassive as she remembers how to speak.

“Um, yeah.” 

“You left kind of quickly, is there anything else you'd like to say?” Jade looks him in the eye, confused. What was he saying?

“Well, um, I guess I just got to know you better and you make me feel pretty happy. That's kind of it, really.”

“Okay.” … Okay? 

“.... Um, Dave….” The bell rings and there’s no time to say more on the matter. But what does he mean by okay?


	14. Chapter 14

THE NEXT DAY  
“Hey, Dave! Dave!” Jade hurries after him. She decided to finish this once and for all! … After she got enough courage over the course of the entire day. It took a long time to do that, actually… Probably way too long… but okay, show time!

She jogs up to where he's waiting, headed out of the school. She brushes the hair out of her eyes.

“Um, so Dave. I was wondering if um.” She takes a deep breath. “If you were going to do anything about what I said?”

“What you said?” He stares blank. She sighs.

“Um, about liking you.”

“Oh.” He scrapes his toe on the pavement with his head down, hiding his face on top of his eyes hiding behind his usual shades. “Well I mean, you know if you need anything, you can just ask.” It's Jade’s turn to stare. 

“Um. Thanks, I guess?”

“Okay. Later, Jade.” He gives a pained smile and walks away. She gapes after him as he hurries away.

Wait, what.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i definitely wanna get to the good stuff but context is needed :) so imma work through some of the shorter chapters pretty quickly and i love you all and thank you for your care to read this!

[pesterlog]  
GG: i dont know what to do!  
GG: what the hell do i make of thank you???  
AG: Jade.  
AG: He is really stupid.   
AG: I would have dumped his ass 8y now.  
AG: 8UT.   
AG: I know you're not like that.  
AG: Just 8sk him out!   
GG: ive tried!  
GG: so many times  
GG: all the times  
AG: That's my line. ::::/  
AG: Anyway, you need to ask him point 8lank.  
AG: Make it REALLY o8vious that you would like to d8.   
GG: date?  
AG: Sure!  
AG: What do you think you're aiming for?  
AG: You like spending time with him, and so what makes that happen 8etter than d88888888ing?  
GG: oh  
GG: i guess youre right!   
GG: thanks vriska :)  
AG: No pro8lem, friend ::::)

 

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]


	16. Chapter 16

The night of band banquet arrives. The room is filled with elegantly dressed ectochildren. Jade is glowing with joy at the procession. Her cheeks are rosy red and her skin seems to shimmer with some indefinable glow. Her dark dress illuminates her skin, and her eyes shine as if they were jewels.

She sits between Sollux and Rose, hiding shyly behind Sollux. 

“My dress is atrocious.”

“You look fine.”

“But the color is so bland!” The graceful flow emphasizes her eyes, but she wanted more colors!

“JD you look lovely now thtop it,” he chides absently. “AR ith gonna call uth thoon and I don't want to mithth it.” She pouts and tugs on his hand. He jerks it away and rolls his eyes. 

“Jade, I'm sure Dave will think it looks charming.” Jade turns to lovely Rose, whose skin glows with a darker, more mysterious glow as if from the light of the horrorterrors. Some would abhor it, but Jade found comfort in the secrecy she knew would protect her. Jade searches Rose’s soft eyes and smiles timidly. 

“I just really don't know! This is all so strange for me.” 

“Just relax and things will take care of themselves.” Rose smiles her encouragement and holds Jade’s hand. “As unfathomably twisted and vulgar my brother is, he's not stupid. Trust me, this is all going to be fine.” Rose gives a kind smile as Jade smooths her hair back. “Besides, you’re irresistible, Jade! You really do look lovely.” Jade hugs Rose lovingly and starts twisting her hair nervously.

Later that night, Jade wanders up to Dave. His dark purple band jacket sports two new pins for his service in the band. He helps clear the table, grabbing plates and cups to throw away. Jade tugs on his shirt.

“Um, hi Dave,” she asks, quieter than usual. He glances up and smiles tightly. 

“Hey, Jade.” Her heart jumps into her throat. “You look nice.” She smiles up, eyes sparkling through her glasses. 

“Thanks, Dave! You look pretty classy. It’s a good look for you.” They laugh awkwardly and avoid eye contact. Well. Here goes nothing. She clears her throat. “So, um, I was wondering if you made up your mind?”

He looks at her, confused. “Made up my mind?”

“Yeah, um, if maybe you liked me?” He looks down at the table as she waits nervously.

“Jade…” he looks up at her and does not let his shades waver from her face. “I honestly don’t think this is something I’m looking for right now. I don’t want to lead you on, okay?”

her heart shatters but holds itself in place. She nods slowly and thinks. This hasn’t destroyed her, actually. Her heart is wounded but beats for the love of her friends, for her grandpa, for her Bec and still for this boy in front of her. She smiles toothily at him.

“Yeah! Don’t worry about it, I’m just glad to finally get an answer!” She laughs lightly and he straightens a bit. 

“Okay, cool. I just didn't wanna hurt your feelings.”

Jade shakes her head earnestly. “Um, but can I have a hug?” He deliberated for a moment before nodding, and straightening to his full height. 

She wraps her arms around his waist to enjoy the moment. He's so warm, her chilled hands melt on his back. Her cheek glows with the warmth of his chest and his arms are firm around her. She squeezes a little tighter and he reciprocates, forming a cozy cocoon before releasing her. 

“Are you okay?” He raises an eyebrow. She nods eagerly. 

“I promise, it's fine!” She spots John and waves. He gestures for her to come over. “Um, I guess I have to go. Thanks, Dave!” She rushes off, hoping to fend off the awkwardness of a goodbye by hurrying. She thinks about the warmth of her cheek where it lay on Dave’s chest. It was nice while it lasted.


	17. Chapter 17

JUNIOR YEAR   
Jade skips into history, ready to take on anything. Sollux and Rose were in different classes but that's okay! She had Karkat and John and Tavros and Vriska and Dave, if she wanted. It had been a while but she thought it would be fun to refriend them after a long, adventurous but refreshing summer at her island.

Jade settles next to Vriska. 

“Hi, Vriska,” she greets. “How are things going?” 

“Fine! I’m starting a new movement to get all the dead lazy bones back into action.” She grins with wicked fangs. “What's a spider without a web of action?”

“Gee, you're right! I'd guess you wouldn't be a spider at all.” Jade grins as she unpacks her books, chatting with Vriska about how the dead are. There sure were some weird timelines! 

“-and so they're flushed! Can you believe it? Karkat was absolutely LIVID about the whole deal, completely denies any attraction to John but it's there. I scored hard on that blackmail front!” She cackles as Mr. Egbert clears his throat. 

“Class, I expect you to all behave civilized and to grow into young adults while here. I have respect for all of you and would assume you'd make only the best choices.” Some chuckles from the troublemakers. His nose points at John. “However, due to certain knowledge about you children, I will separate some of you in order to prevent any excruciating misconduct.” Jade sighs unhappily, looking longingly at Vriska, who slumps into her seat. Snatched from the jaws of happiness once more! 

Despite Mr. Egbert’s warnings, things weren't too skewed. Her John and Karkat sat together (perhaps he thought they would balance each other well? Wow, they really could be a good couple…). Vriska sat in the back of the room with Meenah, presumably so they could conspire without disrupting the class. Tavros and Dave sat near the front, where any rap battles could be immediately stomped out like a burning hat. 

Jade waited for her assignment and let her thoughts drift to the back seat with Vriska and Meenah. Oh geez, it looks like Meenah’s trying to start an arm wrestling contest! Mr. Egbert cleared his throat.

“I believe I asked you to take a seat Miss Harley.” Jade jumps and searches quickly. Vriska waved to her, pointing excitedly to the empty seat beside her. Jade started to shuffle her feet forward when Dave caught her attention. He smiles lazily and nodded to the seat beside him. Jade stumbles into the seat without a thought, hoping it was the right seat. 

“Hi,” she greets Dave meekly. 

“Good to see you, Harley.” He nods approvingly as she starts to unpack again. Her heart is in her throat. She peers up at him through her hair and she suddenly can't breath. 

Oh. Looks like her fate is sealed. Time to loath this decision everyday for the rest of the year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! Promise more soon! Finals are coming up but I have a few chapters already done, so there will at least be one a week. I hope y'all are enjoying the end of the year, etc etc :) please please please give me what feedback you can beautiful babes, whatever you'd like. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

Whew! That last hour had been pretty tough, trying to not look at Dave and everything. He was teasing Tavros and generally being a dumb, cool guy but she thinks he was joking. Probably. 

At least now it was math! Jade skips alongside Vriska, glad to be rid of the tension she felt. Was it hot in Mr. Egbert's class, or was that just her overwhelming awkwardness around the boy she may or may not still like? 

“GOG, Jade, why?” Vriska flicks her hair and mad eyes a confused Jade. Vriska scoffs at her oblivious expression. “I mean about Dave! You could've sat with me, but you chose the boy you have a crush on?” Jade flushes. 

“I don't! At least, maybe? I dunno I was startled, and couldn't have don't anything about it! I mean, I didn’t get to choose!” Vriska’s mouth quirks into a little smile. 

“Okay, Jade. You have fun with that.” Vriska stalks forward and chatters about how pleasant Mr. Egbert is versus her lusus. Jade sighs, relieved and agrees. Mr. Egbert was pretty great at motivating the class. She flushes a little. Wow, she must really like the class! Or is there something else in that lip biting? Oh gosh, that's not something Jade wants to get into.

Jade waves goodbye and hurries into calculus. She spots Karkat sitting alone so she squeals as she rushes into the seat next to him. 

“Hey, Karkat! Aren't you glad I took this seat instead of some lame-o?” He sputters and scowls at her. 

“For your information, I was hoping a potential matesprit would sit there!”

“Oh, well it's good I sat here.” Jade gives a sunny smile as Karkat flushes a deep shade of red. She wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or anger, but before she could press him further, John bursts into the class. 

“Oh, hi guys!” He waves and stumbles into the seat in front of Karkat. Karkat double-face palms. 

“Great, just great! I really needed the loony twins here. Why did I even think I could have some peace and quiet in an advanced math class? Not like Egg-derp or Har-lame would be able to get in it, with how much mush their think pans contain but of fucking course you get in here anyway.” Jade is slightly offended by his burst of anger. 

“Karkat, I’m a scientist. Calculus is second nature to me. But John, not to be rude, but why are you here?”

“Well, I couldn't keep away from my best bros, right?” John leans onto Karkat’s desk and bats his eyelashes. Karkat smooshes the human’s face and makes a disgusted face. 

“In what universe is Jade your ‘bro’? Egbert, we've been over this, as much as it pained me, that your smelly human biology places the female sibling of your species as 'sister' and the male sibling as 'brother', shortened to 'bro' for Dave's horrible ironic purposes. Any other variation of ‘bro’ is for a male, too, indicating a friendly and open companionship, which, I feel obliged to tell you, I am not.” John rolls his eyes as he straightens into his own chair, away from Karkat’s offending fists. 

“Well, I mean, you're kind of right Karkat, in every sense of the word, Jade is my sister, but I didn't mean Jade!” She frowns at that. Hey, wait, he never said he wanted to sit with his sis! What a jerk! “I mean, Dave is coming too, but he's waiting until class starts to make a dramatic entrance.” Pfft, what a tool. Jade sighs and slumps on her desk. 

She shoots back up. Wait, Dave is in this class? “Dave is in this class?” 

John looks at her and shrugs. “Yeah, we have the exact same schedule! Even you.” 

“I do?” Jade pulls out the paper naming her classes. “Wait, John. How would you even know my schedule?” She stares at him and he stares back, eyes wider than usual. After a few seconds in a committed staring contest, he flushes and lowers his gaze, snickering. “John, what did you do?” The bell rings and before Jade can keep questioning him, Dave slams open the door, striding in. 

Jade keeps her eyes low and watches his scuffed shoes move closer. He sits in the desk in front of her. Of course. 

“Hey, Dave!” John smiles and waves vigorously. Karkat scowls but his eyes shine with amusement and affection.

“You dumbass, do you expect a fucking 'largest idiot in the incipisphere' award for coming in late and planting yourself in the desk farthest from the learning-lusus as you can?” Dave licks his lips and puts his elbow on Jade’s desk. She glares at it. 

“I expect to be labeled as a rebel, for solely ironic purposes, of course.” The class starts and the boys face forward, bickering quietly. Only as Jade sketches a dark spade on her notes does she realize the boys hadn't acknowledged her since she last spoke. 

They don't for the rest of the class period. 

Jerks.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this transition chapter, I needed Jade to get her thoughts out there >.> plus finals this week wweh

Jade slumps into a pile of Squiddles, exhausted at the end of the week. School always drained her because it was so much more focused than the peace of her island, where she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. And she had to deal with her oddball friends all day. 

She shifts around until she's staring at the ceiling. Since entering the inciphoshere, she's painted aspect symbols to be the sky. She focuses on the space symbol above her, which seems to glow a little brighter than the others, even the light symbol. It really was lovely. She sighs.

She thought she was over Dave, but apparently not. She found it hard enough to not stare at him, but looking him in the shades was worse. Whenever he looked up, she would snap her gaze further down, even if she wasn't looking at him in the first place. Gog, why was she so afraid of him?!

And since he was in EVERY class, it made life very difficult. Next to her in history. In front of her in math. Next to her in spanish (such a silly class. The godtier children were blessed with the Gift of Gab anyway). And at her table in science again. At least she had Tavros and Gamzee to buffer her against his complete and utter Dave-ness most of the time. 

She sighs. But why those two? Not that she had a problem with them, they were friends! But why had Karkat and John seemed to have dropped off her chumroll? She drums her fingertips lightly on her lips. How strange. 

It's not like they had fallen off the Earth (metaphorically speaking, as John had managed to do that with the help of his rocket pack and godtier powers). They just didn't talk to her. After Jade found out John’s prank (he prepared a punch-bowl-over-the-door trick since buckets had been banned from school) and laughed his glasses off, the boys hadn’t really teased her about it or apologize. They just kept their distance. She would talk, crack jokes, same as always and they’d seem to not hear her. When she caught their eyes and smiled, they reacted pleasantly but not cheerfully. Even Karkat smiled tightly, not scowling or teasing. It was all blank around her, even though they were rowdy towards each other just moments before. 

Rolling onto the ground neatly from her chair, Jade stretches and rubs her tired eyes under her glasses. She'd sleep on it. 

Turning out the light, Jade falls asleep quickly, still in her day clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so ive officially outlined the au. Basically, its what happens if the kids didn't meet each other and didn't launch Sburb, but it launches anyway. Earth appeared in the middle of the incipisphere, because it couldn't fit on the kids lands. The kids lands are there, but more as a consorts home than the kids lands if that makes sense. Skaia is there, but is completely empty, no battle taking place. Prospit and Derse are at a peace, similar to skaia. Over the years, the whole incipisphere has drifted into the outer ring, and resides in dream bubble territory.
> 
> The session is basically dead, but because Sburb was never started in the first place, these kids have never died. The schools on Earth have accumulated dead versions of the kids and dead trolls, so they are filled with the dead, as well as Earth's living. But you don't really want to hear about them, you want to hear about our main characters, right?
> 
> The four humans have visited their lands because the gates opened to them, and eventually outer ring magic warped the gates into leading to a central school, Derse High. The outer ring has weird magic, and though they have only explored parts of their quests, they have some godtier abilities. As an explorer, Jade tried to discover more at first, and accidentally became a dog-girl involving ectobiology equipment, 7 pumpkins, and Bec's rescue. Beyond meeting their ectobiological families, the 4 did little in regards to the game.
> 
> Jade lived with John for a while because of Dad but he eventually let her move back to the island when he realized she needs open spaces to run around in. 
> 
> Dave doesn't get around to Prospit Junior high because his gates didn't align to meet the others until High school.
> 
> So there's a whole lot of information you didn't need or probably want to know :3 ill update soon darlings. thank you once again!


	20. Chapter 20

Dave knocks her pencil off the desk with his elbow. Again.

She's had it!

"Dave, stop it!” She shoves his elbow off her desk and snatches the pencils off the ground for the third time and quickly replaces them on the corner of her desk, this time planting her fist there, too.

A couple minutes later, Dave casually elbows her in an attempt to rest his elbow on the corner of her desk. She doesn't budge, gritting her teeth and flexing her fist to make it rigid. He turns around, feigning surprise.

“Jade. Your hand? It’s in my elbow’s way.” She gawks at his casual tone, tight green eyes flashing behind her spectacles.

“Dave, I can’t believe this! You're crushing my hand!” She strikes, shoving his elbow off again. “Now just shut up, I'm trying to listen!” He raises an eyebrow and turns forward again. Annoyed at his easy submission, Jade shreds a scrap of paper and rolls it into a tiny, sharp ball. Aiming carefully, she flicks it into his neck before bending over her notes again.

He jumps and looks at John incredulously. John whispers to Karkat, gesturing intently as Karkat scowls, but looks intrigued. Dave looks back at Jade who smirks into her paper, ignoring him.

He turns forward and rubs his neck before firmly placing his elbow back on the edge of her desk.

Jade scowls, snatching up a pen and roughly scratches a spade on his elbow.

Take that, she thinks, allowing the stubborn elbow.

I hope Karkat sees it.

She spends the rest of the class period flicking paper into his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heheheh and so the black rom begins.
> 
> dont forget to leave me feedback and such! 
> 
>  
> 
> also if anyone has a better name for this, honestly, id appreciate it so much haha


	21. Chapter 21

“David, I believe I have asked you multiple times to restrain yourself from placing your possessions on a fellow student’s desk.” Mr. Egbert crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at Dave, who removes the carrot stick from his lips and smiles sweetly (still crunching carrots) at the teacher. He leans over his desk toward Mr. Egbert.

“Oh, sir,” Dave swallows and looks up at the man in a loving manner, biting his lip. “I'm really sorry. You know how I forget sometimes!” He slowly reaches over to Jade’s desk. She tenses when he grasps the handle of his lunchbox and fights the urge to stab him with her pencil. She glares at her desk as the long arm drags back, thumping the box onto the ground before lifting to his desk.

Jade leans back as Mr. Egbert passes. “Thank you,” she sighs, stretching. He smiles good naturally. 

“That boy could learn some manners. How do you put up with it?” When she shrugs halfheartedly, Mr. Egbert laughs. “Keep an eye on him, Jade.”

The bell rings and Mr. Egbert returns to his desk, gathering papers for the lesson. Jade looks after him, puzzled. What did he mean, keep an eye on Dave? 

She's jolts out of her musing when Dave kicks her under the desk. Gripping the table, she glares at him. 

She grits out, “Dave. Can I help you?”

He shrugs. “Sorry, Jade, you know I've got long legs. I need more space than you.” 

“You're literally sideways in your seat!”

He doesn't budge so she kicks him. He only pulls away when class starts. 

Jerk.


	22. Chapter 22

“So, uh, Dave, could you move your feet, maybe?” Tavros pleads. “I was sitting in between Sollux and Jade, they’re right there in front of you, where you uh, put your feet.”

Dave raises an eyebrow at Tavros who smiles nervously. Jade turns away from the LOLCAT High School performance to look at the boys. Dave is okay to Tavros, but can be a pretty big nuisance! One minute, he’ll explain the ‘Roarin’ Twenties’ by referencing the Midnight Crew webcomic and the next he’ll be teasing Tavros for not speaking up in class. Jade is forced to intervene and it’s annoying!

“I don’t know, Tavros, can I?” Dave mocks but moves his feet. Tavros sighs in relief. Glad that Dave wasn’t being too difficult, Jade shuffles right to make more room for Tavros who settles snug between her and Sollux.

“Hey!” Tavros jumps, knocking into Jade as Dave’s feet push themselves in between Tavros and Sollux.

“Hey, fuckwaste, what do you think you’re doing?” Sollux grumbles, shuffling away. His headache has made him irritated, but subdued. Tavros turned sheepishly toward Dave.

“Just settling nice and cozy with my bros here. My legs are all kinds of cramped, you know? Just need some space, don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Well you know your ‘bros’ need some space too, Dave! Why can’t you just leave us alone?” Jade snaps, holding Tavros steady. He smiles his thanks as he sits straight, eying Dave’s shoe. “What’s your problem?” She huffs. “You’ve been so mean to Tavros, I can’t take it!”

“Jade, I appreciate you looking out for me but uh, it’s okay.” Tavros turns toward the show as the group settles into a natural hush. Karkat mumbles in Dave’s right ear as John chatters happily at Sollux, who holds his head in his hand and growls his pain away on the far side. Jade wrinkles her nose at Dave’s feet and simmers in anger.

Has Dave always been like this? He could be so dang annoying! Especially around Tavros now, he’s been really mean! She’d almost say he’s black flirting but everyone knows Tavros would be an awful kismesis and Dave has no interest in quadrants! ... Right?

The performances end and the show pauses as the judges make their final decisions. The silence is broken when Dave blurts out, “Hey, Tavros, why do you follow quadrants?” Tavros doesn’t budge, eyes low and staring off into the distance. Karkat glances out of the corner of his eye at Dave and Jade turns to look at him, annoyed. 

“Hey.” Dave wiggles his foot around, startling Tavros. “Spacing out again?” Tavros nods and flushes a bit.

“Sorry.” Tavros shuffles and turns to face Dave properly. Jade turns her torso to look at him better, too. “Uh, what were you saying, Dave?”

“I asked why you follow quadrants, Bullwinkle.” 

“Oh, uh, well, I’m going to go ahead and ignore the fact that you just called me a moose, I think, instead of an actual bull, so that I don’t really anger you because I kind of don’t like when that happens, and uh, go on to say, well, quadrants are kind of a social thing and is pretty much mandatory for our society….”

Dave leans forward, pulling his legs back so he can lean on them. “But why? I don’t understand.” 

Karkat rolls his eyes and Jade tugs on his leg. “What’s he doing?” she hisses. 

“Trying to get on a troll’s nerves,” Karkat replies. “Why do you care? Auspicing much, Harley?” She glares at him, disgusted before turning back to the quadrant discussion. She was not! She just thought Dave needed someone to look out for him was all. 

“Okay, still not getting it, Tavros.” Dave leans heavily on his arm. “You’re not defending your case well. Convince me.”

“Because, dumbass,” Jade interjects. “Quadrants are kind of fucking necessary to society! Without quadrants, nobody could procreate and then the species would die out. It’s much more difficult to prove themselves worthy and to not get culled than it is in human society.”

“Well, why do they keep it up anyway? We don’t need quadrants here, we have a bunch of dead people and I hear the alphas have their own sweet mother grub to take whatever kind of slime they want.” 

“Dave, it’s still a long rooted social construct. No, they don’t technically need quadrants,” Karkat starts foaming at the mouth, “But it’s valued for these trolls as respectful, something that helps them date, you know?”

“Jade, you are defending quadrants so well, I gotta ask, have you done the horizontal tango with quadrants?” Dave starts an interviewer voice, lowering it and holding an imaginary microphone out to her. “Get a little pillow talk from a quadrant once, or was it just a big orgy, mess with them all?”

Jade flushes and rolls her eyes. “Well at least I’d be getting some unlike your sorry ass!” He just smirks at her. “Why don’t you tell me, Dave, have you ‘got some’? Are you so cooool that you’ve done it with half the band?” He shakes his head.

“Never little lady, I’m saving myself for someone special, you know? Gotta lose my flower to only the best rosepicker I’ve ever met.” He pauses. “Uh, let’s not use ‘Rose’ for my sexual metaphors…. But you know what I mean. Lose my v-card at the classiest motel, a ‘Best Western’ or the ‘Off Ramp Inn’, you know something with style.” The tension relaxed from charged into partially awkward as Jade realized how weird a conversation this was. She couldn’t back down though! Dave was waiting for another verbal sparring, and she was gonna kick his ass!

“Wait, sorry, you’re a humble homo, is that it? You couldn’t bother to be with anyone you liked cuz they’re BOYS and can’t be with anyone who likes you cuz they’re GIRLS!” Jade felt her heart take a stab. Whoops. She wasn’t supposed to let her emotions get away from her like that…

That was it though wasn’t it? She needed a reason for Dave to not like her and her best thought was that she wasn’t a he. It hurt, but much less than thinking it was just her personality. Hopefully.

Dave paused to think a minute, oblivious to her speculation. Tavros’s head swiveled back and forward, curious to Dave’s answer. Karkat had buried himself in a pit of dispair (aka his gloves). Dave’s audience was limited, so he answers, “Nah, that’s not it, man. Honestly, I just haven’t liked anyone.” Jade felt her heart get stabbed through but smiled kindly.

“No idea of preference? Boys or girls?”

Dave thinks through before answering, “I just haven’t felt anything romantic at all. I’m sure it’ll happen, just. There’s nothing for now.” Jade nods thoughtfully, grateful that while he didn’t like her, he didn’t like someone else more. Dave turns back to Tavros.

“Bro, you still haven’t fully explained quadrants. Why do you, Tavros Nitram, participate in them?”

“Oh, uh,” Tavros goes red. “Um, Dave, I don’t really do quadrants actually. Especially not the caliginous side, not because I couldn’t compete, I just don’t hate anyone. Red, well, I mean, I feel, I just don’t really want to ask them, in case they, uh, laugh at me.” Tavros hangs his head as Dave snorts.

“C’mon man, don’t let the fear put you down. You should just go for it, you know? You really gotta spread your wings a bit more, speak up. I mean,” Dave spreads his arms, gesturing to himself. “This beauty came from a sorry little sap that couldn’t even speak his mind. I want you to do this, man. I want you to defend yourself.” Jade frowns.

“Wait, is that why you’re so mean? You’re trying to get Tavros out of his shell?”

“Well, if he defended himself, I wouldn’t have to!” Jade can’t believe this revelation.

“... Dave, you’re pulling a Vriska!” 

“What, no.” His mouth sets, ready to defend. “This is way different, Jade. I’m not full dick ‘walk-up-the-stairs-you-moron’. I’m just ‘hey-actually-say-two-words-in-class’.”

Jade gets up, disgusted and annoyed. “Dave, you are actually a dumbass.” She leaves, determined to avoid him, and expecting to get herself a hot chocolate, maybe.

Karkat calls to her, “Jade, wait up!” She pauses at the bottom of the bleachers, tense and ready for a fight.

“Jade, walk with me.” Karkat hurries ahead, expecting her to follow. She rolls her eyes and chases the short (but taller than her) troll.

“What is it, Karkat?”

“What are you doing with Dave?” He asks. “Everything you do screams caliginous.” She flinches inwardly. 

“I don’t hate him,” she denies. Jade knew that for trolls it meant competitive, but she couldn’t help her human stigma of the word. “It’s not like that.”

“Jade,” Karkat sighs, running his hand through his hair. “I know your human ways are vastly limited yet totally superior to ours but try to understand. Where you’re going with Dave is kind of fucking with us trolls. I mean, you know our quadrants, think about it.” Karkat lists off, “1) You are totally flushed for him. He told us when you asked him out,” Jade clenches a fist, “and you told me not five hours ago you’re STILL flushed for him. 2),” he ticks another finger, “pitch kind of started your relationship, with your competitive edge. I know you went red, but you’re dangerously close to black again with the fighting, and you stabbing him to draw a spade on him? Like what the fuck is that?” Before Jade can object, no Karkat, she just wanted to annoy the SHIT out of Dave, he holds up a hand. “Let me finish, you snot colored dimwit.” Jade rolls her eyes.

“Karkat, your points are-”

“AND,” he continues over her. “You auspecize for him and Tavros? I know Dave doesn’t THINK he’s going black on Tavros, he has the same think-pan addled method of trying to make him better as the web-spinning bloodsucker, but I mean, come on! What on Alternia does your blood pusher say in order for you to force your way into this? Meddling?” He accuses. She flushes in anger. “I’m not done, Harley! Maybe if you actually stopped and used that brilliant think-pan of yours, you’d realize how out of hand this is! Especially because of Tavros.” 

Jade pulls away, ready to run when Karkat grips her arm tightly, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Jade, I would be fine if it was just you and the red-robed loser fucking shit up. But you’re dragging Tavros down, too, and I don’t want him getting any ideas when it’s just two stupid humans flailing about in their papery, limp flesh bags.” Jade lowers her eyes.

“I get it Karkat. I’m sorry.”

“You do?”

“Yeah…” He let’s her go and she stares at her shoes, kicking the pavement. “I don’t want to drag anyone else into this. I’m just kind of a confused mess. I’d really like to figure this out, but I have no idea what Dave is thinking!” She looks up suddenly, smiling through shining eyes. “Thanks for talking to me, Karkat. I’m glad I have an open connection with you.”

He looks down. “Yeah. Whatever, Jade.” He looks up, all automaton again. “Just keep my crew out of this.” He turns and walks away, leaving her to buy herself a hot chocolate. 

She stares after him for a long time, wondering what she did wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ti-red but working :) yall keep doing what youre doing and as always, leave suggestions if youd like! thanks for reading!


	23. Chapter 23

“Hey Dave, can I borrow that?” She snatches the eraser before he moves, scratching out her messy answer.

"Woah, careful with the edges Harley, I like ‘em nice and crisp.” He bends back over his work, nudging his glasses further up his nose.

"Why? It’s just an eraser,” she flicks it at him, smiling when it smacks his cheek. He rolls his eyes and swipes it before she could flick it again.

"It’s all in the principle of it, Harley. This eraser,” he kisses it’s smooth, white surface. “It’s innocence. It’s peace. I can’t help it man, there’s just something so beautiful in it’s purely whiteness. You can’t ruin its surface Jade. Promise me.” She raises an eyebrow at him and returns to their task.

Something about mushroom farms, she thought? Wasn’t really sure, as Casey (though Mr. Egbert vouched for his granddaughter) was a pretty awful teacher. Frowning, she asks, “so what are we doing?”

Tavros smiles, “We’re making a mushroom farm, Jade. They usually, uh, leads to the ocean, so the water drains here,” he points to a lower water chamber. “Where uh, I think we’re putting a fish or something? It’s not too hard.”

Jade nods, slowly before gaining a sudden insight. “Wait, Gamzee!” He turns and blinks sleepily.

"Yeeeees, my little, human motherfucker?” She smiles toothily up at him.

“You live on the beach! And you like fish and stuff, don’t you?” He scratches his head.

“Well, my boy Eridan is the main motherfucker with that…”

She grabs lightly at his tiny ear fins. “Gamzee, you live on the beach. I know you eat fish because your breath stinks of it.” She smiles up at him. “You’ll be great at this water chamber business!” He smiles large, cracked and yellow but not unfriendly. She was glad he mellowed out in the last few months. He was pretty nice to talk to when he wasn’t bat fucking crazy.

“Okay, I get what’s going on here.” Jade turns to Dave, who cracks his knuckles. She tilts her head in an unspoken question while he smiles thinly. “You little pansies want to sit aside and watch the real men work the farm? No problem. Just watch the gun show ladies.” Dave starts shoveling tiny plots of dirt as Gamzee prepares the beach level.

Tavros looks at Dave strangely. “Uh, not that I’m overly concerned that you’re uh, emasculating me, really, I’m kind of used to that from Vriska, but what are you doing, Dave?” Dave glances up at Tavros as he scrapes over the dirt.

“Farming, shortie. Grew up with this shit.” Jade snorts.

“Yeah, right!”

“What, you don’t believe me?” His voice drips in mock shock. “I am offended. I’ll have you know, I am just a small town boy from Texas.” He emphasizes his drawl, smirking slightly. She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.

“Dave, you grew up in Houston!”

“I grew up in Texas and that’s that. ‘Sides, I live on a farm now, if that makes you feel any better.” Dave carefully adds bugs to the chamber. “Can’t wait to see these little lightning bugs glowing. What would John say? Call them hummingbirds or something.” He smiles and buries the worms. Jade smiles at the soft outline of his face, the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. It was pleasant to look at, even with those stupid shades hiding his eyes. If only she could reach over and just…

“All set, motherfuckers.” Gamzee grins. Jade jumps, away from Dave. Sigh. “The little water dwelling beast is settling nicely in his new home. We should celebrate with some pie, y’all.” Tavros tugs his arm, stopping him from wandering away.

“No, uh, Gamzee we have to do the writing part of this, remember?”

“Aw, shit little man.” Gamzee laughs and pulls away from Tavros to scratch his head. “That part up and fucked itself away from my thinkpan. Alright, help me out, friend. I ain’t so good at all this science shit.”

“You too, Dave,” Jade bends over her paper, reading the work. “No spitballs, please?” He moves over and reaches for his eraser. She snatches it, running her thumb over its soothing surface. He grabs for his pencil instead.

“Hey, I may be fucking nuts according to Rose, but I’m not a slacker.” He pokes his pencil at her hand holding the eraser. “You can keep it if you want. It’ll keep you from stealing them.” She raises an eyebrow at him. “Just keep my lady fresh, Harley,” he comments, eyes low. “She’s precious.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Plot moves on full steam ahead. If you catch any mistakes, feedback etc etc leave it down in the comments!


	24. Chapter 24

“Ah-CHOO!” Jade blows her nose and sniffles. “I can’t BREATHE. I can’t SMELL.” She sniffles again. “I am absolutely useless,” she mumbles to herself. She looks at her bedroom door from the floor, wondering when Bec would come home. He had gone out… Well she guessed to find food. Her house wasn’t exactly stocked for sickness. She hasn’t been sick in forever. Not until she started being around humans. Stupid, easily caught sicknesses. It sucks to lie around with a box of tissues in one hand and cough drops in the other. The only reason she had this much was because John stopped by.

“Hey, Jade! You look… not great.” He had snickered at her as he handed over goods Dad sent. She threw a wad of snot-filled tissue paper at him, he left quickly. Good riddance too, that jerk hadn’t even asked her how she’d been!

Stupid John and his stupid friends, she thought bitterly, snuggling underneath her moon blanket. They just goofed off and frolicked and had sleepovers without her… 

They don’t like you, gu-girl. Jade sneezes and rolls under her blanket. Noooooooo….. They ignore you cuz you’re not making any sense. Not like they’re needing a stupid island princess hanging around them anyway. Jade groans (and coughs) into her blanket. 

Leave me aloooooooooone, she thinks, pressing her fists to her temples. She wishes the voice would leave her alone. It’s weird and silly but it’s not like they hate me. We’re friends.

Then why they staring at you all the time? her thoughts chide. They just staring and thinking and doing nothing when you’re just trying to be one of them! You should growl and bite them, that’ll give ‘em a lesson.

Pfft! As if they need another reason to think I’m lame. Live up to my dog upbringing and all. Besides, it’s not like that’ll do any good. I still want them to like me. 

Jade stays motionless, waiting for whatever voice to come back and argue with her. When it doesn’t she sighs, knowing it was sort of right. The boys stressed her out is all. That’s what friends do, right? Besides, she could be imagining it. Like, they were still around, just… distant you guess.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Jade perks up and scrambles for her phone. Maybe it was Sollux. She draws the blanket around her as she blindly unlocks it.

\-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 3:14 pm --  
TG: hey jade  
TG: where were you today  
TG: heard you were dying of tuberkurlosis or something  
TG: overexposure to senor kurlos and his magical maracas or whatever  
TG: magical marakaras  
TG: whatever close enough  
TG: did you get the homework yet

Jade squints, and reaches for her glasses. Surprised, she looks at the time stamp. Guess school was over.

GG: no, not yet! did i miss anything important?  
TG: not really  
TG: egderp senior lectured us on passion, passion tea, passion fruit  
TG: dont really remember why   
TG: probably not that important anyway just him telling us how proud he is to see us moving forward while not really teaching us at all  
TG: you know how it goes with the guy

Jade smiles and coughs with minimal pain. Wow, talking to people made her feel better already!

GG: i know pretty well haha  
GG: i probably spent more time around him than you after entering the real world and stuff but im glad he let me move back here  
GG: i had bec but it certainly wasnt the same as being on the island!  
TG: i bet  
TG: anyway, the only other thing we have is a spanish crossword or whatever  
GG: oh, that sounds fun!  
TG: you bet your fine ass it is  
TG: fuck  
TG: pretend i didnt let that out or rose will hold it over me forever

Jade blushes and thinks of her ass. It was pretty fine. 

GG: :) i know your tricks dave youll never fool me!  
TG: look a convenient distraction  
TG: smuppet_fun_with_senor_karlos.jpeg  
GG: oh haha nice try scaring me away  
GG: im used to your smuppets by now!  
TG: oh yeah what if i got you one for christmas  
TG: a red one wearing a sombrero and poncho holding maracas  
TG: senor karlos stitched elegantly into his ass  
GG: dave you need to stop it with the smuppets  
GG: its getting pretty old  
TG: no way smuppets are timeless classics  
TG: like ripping on nic cage or genuinely appreciating ben stiller  
GG: no dave youre getting old  
TG: timeless  
TG: id know jade   
TG: its written into my hero lore  
TG: knight of timeless jokes and shitty sord fighting at your service maam  
TG: have i been knighted but of course dear lady only by the finest white adult rapper dressed in a cape of golden smuppets what do you take me for i am a goddamn professional dammit  
TG: rare as a fucking unicorn   
TG: do you like unicorns jade  
TG: i bet you do  
GG: theyre pretty useless  
GG: if one showed up right now id probably be able to shoot it, even with my hands this numb  
TG: wait so youre actually sick  
TG: youre not just skipping class to go see i dunno whatever passes as the carapacian version of justin bieber  
TG: more like justin meat cleaver to you too  
GG: dave  
TG: stab you right through  
GG: no  
TG: or better yet  
TG: stab  
TG: the butt  
GG: daaaaaaave stop! haha   
GG: my lungs cant take breathing as it is i cant be laughing right now  
TG: hell be  
TG: a buttstabber  
TG: okay ill stop   
GG: haha too late!  
GG: my lungs have exploded  
GG: congratulations   
GG: you committed murder today  
TG: oh fuck  
TG: i cant be arrested  
TG: not again  
GG: too many references! no dave please ill die  
GG: do you want that on your conscience?  
TG: i thought you already died  
GG: godtier saves me from death but youll leave me in eternal torment  
GG: doomed to laugh and die for all eternity!  
TG: harsh life  
TG: nope as knight of whatever the fuck i cant allow this remember i need to protect thine maidenhood or whatever  
TG: thine holy vessel  
GG: … do you even know what youre saying right now?  
TG: thus unto thouest perfection is thine loveliness  
GG: and i thought i was the one on drugs  
TG: nah im not high bros just smoking out the back  
TG: by which i mean the back of my closet that is which i also happen to be hiding inside because you know a fucking man and his adopted bro cant handle fucking skunks in our backyard  
TG: i dont know how they did it man  
TG: the olden west or whatever must have sucked  
TG: i hate this place  
GG: why are you hiding in the closet dave? why?  
TG: fuck  
TG: youre almost as bad as rose stop taking the things i say out of context goddammit  
TG: for a fair maiden princess or whatever you must be living under the most dumpy ass bridge   
TG: the bridge of course is curved because you arent straight at all are you  
TG: goddamit why im trying to save you princess but you just dont wanna be saved from this metaphoric dome of lesbianism  
TG: i guess rose is back there with you, sneaky bastard troll  
TG: come my princess ill take theest back to straightendom where the population is literally just fucking john because goddamn everyone here is queer but come  
TG: it is thine duty  
GG: gog i missed

She freezes. This had been all fun and games up until now. Jade didn’t want to mess up their friendship was so easily.

TG: missed?  
GG: yes  
TG: missed what  
GG: y

Oh, goddamit, Harley!

TG: y?  
TG: you?  
GG: huh?  
TG: i missed you?  
GG: oh you did, did you?

Score! She had every capability to mess with him now. After blowing her nose.

GG: did you miiiiiiiss me? :D  
TG: goddammit harley  
TG: you tricked me and you know it  
GG: do you still admit you miiiiiiissed meeeeeee??? :D  
TG: fuck you  
GG: i was going to say ‘i missed yall’ but i mean you put it so eloquently dave  
TG: jade  
GG: iiiiiii  
TG: fucking  
GG: miiiiiiiiissed  
TG: no  
GG: youuuuuuuuuu???????  
TG: …  
GG: …  
TG: you done?  
GG: ;)  
GG: okay now im done!  
TG: good

Jade smiles to herself and pops another cough drop. At least he seemed to be enjoying this conversation, too.

TG: anyway tomorrow is our first jazz night  
TG: you plan on coming

Jade pauses at that and sucks on the cough drop thoughtfully. She forgot Dave was in jazz band. She really hadn’t planned on going; not since Karkat and the other’s stopped inviting her to do things. Plus, she was still sick. Jade decided to stay home instead.

GG: sure dave i considered it before i got sick!  
TG: you sure youll be able to stuff yourself with pizza after being as ill as my rad beats?  
GG: psh ill be right as rain!  
TG: i gotta log off jade but ill talk to you later k?  
GG: sure! no problem bro  
GG: :)   
turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

Jade smiles as she slumps back into her sick nest.

She was going to jazz night because of Dave.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that the document is a real link but the movie is not >.> fun fact, the movie's number is my birthday

GG: dave, youre crazy!  
TG: youre a pain  
GG: youre rude  
TG: youre worse  
GG: youre mean :(  
TG: haha the worst  
TG: so what are you doing

Jade’s eyes move slowly up to her work. She didn’t want to tell him. But she didn’t want to lie either.

GG: writing?  
TG: you write?  
TG: thought that was just my snooty cousin  
GG: rose is a goddess and you should be nicer to your ecto-sister  
TG: pfft shes a troll with a superiority complex  
TG: and troll as in she messes with you, though i wouldnt put it past her to be an alien too  
GG: :(  
TG: so what are you writing about?

Jade bites her lip and scans the page. “Love is not that text when you wake up. Love is not that last ‘good night’ before hanging up.” Did she really want to send him a love poem about him?

TG: jade?  
TG: is it like some top secret diary  
TG: covered in glitter and lipstick  
TG: your deepest hearts desire for boon bucks and sweet clown ass  
GG: before you go all metaphors and various forms of ass on me  
GG: its a social criticism  
GG: quadrant day posts are really getting on my nerves :p  
TG: oh  
TG: fuck them trolls its literally just troll valentines day  
GG: daaaaave culturally aware, remember?  
TG: yeah i guess  
TG: can i read it?

What? No! He can’t read something like this, it’s so sappy!

GG: whyyyyyy  
TG: why not  
GG: i shouldnt trust you thats why  
TG: why shouldnt you trust me  
TG: im rad and awesome  
TG: this is obviously the basis for being able to trust people  
GG: i already trust you too much  
TG: what?  
GG: i trust you way more than i should considering we only started really talking a couple weeks ago  
TG: but if you trust me whats the problem  
GG: i

Ugh. Jade bonks her head silently upon the table and creates a new document on her computer, typing furiously.

GG: i shouldnt send this to you  
GG: its a poem :B  
TG: a poem?  
GG: or something  
GG: i dont know  
GG: read it and judge me like always :(  
GG: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10JOb6-B0Y7-l186nZ6LHnzLyhmMNGX76rqwPB45qIv8/edit?usp=sharing

Jade rubs her fists into her temples, blushing furiously. 

Why did she do that?

It’s so damn sappy.

He’s going to tell her so.

Better yet he won’t even realize it’s for him.

TG: i like it  
GG: … you do?  
TG: yeah  
TG: i mean its pretty rad even if its not quite as eloquent as my raps  
GG: haha  
TG: but seriously why didnt you wanna share it?  
GG: i guess  
GG: i trust you a lot  
GG: and forgot you dont always have to be a raging asshole :/  
TG: point taken  
TG: but im not gonna laugh at something that matters to you  
TG: here, this is my poem  
TG: MOV_0509.MOV.mov 

Jade cautiously opens the file, confused for a second. A blonde boy, dressed in an elegant white suit stands alone in a dimmed room and has his hands hovering over something deep red and gleaming. His hair is rumpled and sticking up. His glasses are neatly polished and she’d be able to see his eyes if the room was brighter. With a lump in her throat, and a thudding heart, Jade realizes this polished boy is no other than Dave Strider.

All of a sudden, his hands flash, moving quickly to keep up to his own beat. Instead of the typical rap or remixes with heavy beat drops and his nonsense lyrics, she hears a light beat of bells. With a flick of his wrist a deep, melodious tone resonates, vibrating as her jaw drops slightly. The lighter bells pick up a sweet melody, shaping and molding into a wordless, vibrant tune. All the while, his hands flash, altering this or that beat with his turntables, changing notes that sounds as if a whole handbell orchestra was performing for her, but it was just Dave, standing in the low lights, just him and the bells. 

With a resounding clang the video ends and Jade is stunned.

GG: :o  
GG: that was amazing dave  
TG: i did handbell performances as a kid  
TG: when i first got bros old turntables, this was all i did  
TG: switched over when bro wanted to hear what id written  
GG: :p sorry  
GG: how long ago was this?  
TG: last year  
TG: performed for my old bell teacher the man is a fucking god  
GG: its amazing  
TG: can i call you?

Jade freezes up. Why?

GG: why?  
TG: i feel like i should call you if were gonna keep talking  
GG: …

A blaring ring makes Jade fumble, startled after the peaceful silence. She drops her phone and falls off her chair. Klutz! 

Pushing herself up, she awkwardly crawls on the ground, looking for her phone. Homework litters the floor and as she scrambles to find her phone, the ringing ends. She yanks the phone from the stack of Squiddles and curses. Missed call. 

GG: sorry!  
GG: i freaked out my uh parents were nearby  
TG: … harley  
TG: you dont have parents  
GG: oh right  
TG: can i call?  
GG: uh sure

Jade chews on the ends of her hair and answers her phone within the first ring, noting that he started a video call.

“H-hi.” She tugs the hair out of her mouth and sets up her phone on her desk. The video is fuzzy, but when it clears, she notices Dave is outside, sunglasses on but with netting around him. What?

“Hey, Harley.” He smiles, for real, not his ironic or half smiles, but a good smile. “You seemed like you wanted to say something.” She frowns.

“Why are you outside?” He pauses.

“Privacy. Bro’s making videos inside and it’s a small house. I wanted to save your innocent ears.” He bounces a little bit. “Trampoline is plenty far away.” Jade realizes that’s what the net is.

“Don’t you just live in the lap of luxury.” She leans back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Of course you would.”

“Hey, you’ve seen Vriska’s house, that place is literally a castle.” He flops onto the trampoline, bouncing as he lands to lay on it. “But you’re avoiding the real stuff. Why do you trust me too much?” Jade’s heart thuds in her ears and her mouth goes dry. He holds his hand up. “Promise, you can tell me the truth. Scouts honor and all that.” 

Jade sighs. “I shouldn’t trust you this much this quickly. I know I shouldn’t because it’s not like we’ve proven that I should. Not like we’ve been in life or death situations.” His mouth quirks. “I just. Do.” She flushes and nervously scrapes her hair behind her ear. 

“Okay.” He shrugs. “I think it’s alright. Not a problem, because I don’t plan to stab you in the back.” He gives a full smile again, and she thinks it’s because he’s at home, finally relaxed and he’s relaxed and he’s actually talking to her. “Anything else you wanna get off your chest?” Jade flushes and looks at her clock. Bec will be home soon. She’ll give it a go. 

Avoiding his shades, Jade confesses, “Dave, you make me happy. Really happy to be around and as annoying and as silly as you can be I don’t want to let that go. It’s been great to have felt this way, but you’re actually telling me to get this off my chest, and I can’t help it, I just really like you! I like being around you.” He sighs and leans back, thinking. 

“Jade, everything you’re saying about me, I feel that.” She glances up, hoping, seeing the faint blush on his cheeks, but she was expecting the ‘but’… “But,” of course, “I’m seriously busy.” She lovers her eyes and hugs a Squiddle she didn’t realize she was holding. “Like, seriously busy. You know how hard our classes are. Band. I’m in swim, too, I do that everyday, and Bro needs me to edit, and I don’t want to drop the ball on you so I’d rather not take it in the first place.” She squeezes her Squiddle.

“What if I said it was okay?” she asks, looking up. “What if I was okay if we just hung out at school and you did your thing!” He considers, searching her face for something she didn’t know. Quietly, “I just really wanna be with you.”

“It...” He stops and she holds her breath. “I’m going to leave it up to you, Jade. I want to be with you, but I don’t want it to hurt you.” She takes a shaky breath.

“Would it be okay… If we just kind of. School dated?” She bites her lip, looking for some kind of sign in his face. He nods slowly.

“I think, that‘d be cool if you’re okay with it.” She nods her head and glows, smiling. He grins back at her. 

“So are we… Boyfriend and girlfriend?” It was such an awkward question, but she had to make sure! 

He nods, “okay.” She smiles even wider, squealing slightly. 

“Okay, okay!” she sighs, breathless. “I’m actually really glad about this but I think I have to go, Bec is coming home soon and I need to calm down!” They both laugh at her attitude. “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m sorry, but thanks!” He smiles again.

“Later, Harley.”

“See ya, Dave!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, thank you for your time, leave me thoughts if you have any!


	26. Chapter 26

Jade giggles as she chatters breathlessly at Rose. “I know I’ve acted like so silly but I can’t help it! I’ve been really crazy for him and I just can’t believe it!” She leans against the wall outside the bandroom. “I haven’t been this happy in so long,” Jade sighs. 

“Jade?” Rose tosses her MCR sweater over her shoulder and sighs. “Are you sure this is what you want? My brother is a huge nuisance. He’s rather rude and not at all a pleasure to be around lately.” She puts down her backpack and Jade copies. “Might I remind you the disgrace he is in with our parents, Mr. Egbert, just about the entire band, and me?” 

“I know. I know he’s lame and bugs the hell out of everyone, but he’s also different for me! He can be a sweet dork.” Jade flushes and hops in place. “Also, he asked if I could hang out with him after school!”

“... Jade did you just tell me that my brother is skipping out on swim today?” Rose leans against the wall, looking anywhere but at Jade. “I know for a fact we’re doing races today and that’s something he really shouldn’t miss.”

“He’s going but that’s not ‘til 4!” Jade giggles breathlessly and hops around. “I have an hour to ‘hang out’ in his car! Did you know he has his own car, Rose?” 

“Yes, and I believe his vehicle only furthers the emphasis of his Oedipus tendencies. It’s likeness to a full diaper is not unnoted by me.” 

“Rose, it’s irony! Also, it’s Dave, so it’s supposed to be weird.” 

Dave lugs out his trombone and a tuba case from the band room and stands in his gawky glory before the girls.

“Sup, lil’ sis. Nice sweater.” Dave quirks a crooked smile as Rose smiles without warmth.

“Thank you, dear brother, as I am sure you are referring to the fact that I received it from you for my 13th birthday as a joke of my unending distrust of the world and my family. Joke’s on you as I absolutely love the band.” 

“Rose, I wasn’t being passive aggressive, I genuinely thought you liked the band. What is your problem?”

Jade tugs on Dave’s hand. “Hey, um, you wanna hang out?” 

“Needa get my swim stuff, too. I’ll be right back.” He sets down his instruments and goes back in. Jade stands, deliberating before determinedly grabbing Dave’s instruments. 

“See you later!” She hollers to a peeved Rose and yanks up the trombone, dragging the tuba away. Rose shakes her head and people stare at Jade dragging the enormous instruments. She’s confident though, she’s strong! Except… wow that sickness must’ve taken a lot out of her. She starts panting a little bit, struggling as she reaches the student lot. Yikes. 

“Jade, what are you doing.” Dave catches up, two backpacks on. She gulps down some air and gives him a smile (she hopes it hides her agony).

“Nothing, just giving you a hand!” He shakes his head and some students snicker.

“Can I have my instruments, please, my very expensive instruments, my instruments that are worth more than our great god, Karkat himself, though he’s worthless but please just go with it, please.” She pauses a moment, thinking. She hands over the trombone and shoots off, giggling as she races to his car. 

When she gets there, she's out of breath but proud. She turns to see… Dave striding to his car, very cool. And very slow. She sets down the tuba and crosses her arms, waiting impatiently (and catching her breath). 

Finally, he reaches her and unlocks his car. It’s a beat up, white minivan that you would NOT expect from a cool kid! But that was kind of the point of irony, right?

He nods to her. “Leave your backpack here. You can sit in the front seat if you want.” She stands there a moment, watching him put away his stuff in the trunk. For a scrawny kid, he could lift a tuba pretty easily! She tosses in her backpack and goes to the front, surprised by how clean his car was. She would’ve thought a soccer mom owned it, if she knew any better.

When he hops into the driver’s seat, she timidly asks, “were you in soccer, Dave?”

“What?” He closes the door and looks at her incredulously. “Seriously? Who told you that?” 

“Oh, no one, it’s silly.” 

“Damn, I mean, Bro was adamant I learn. He said it helped him woo his finest lover after a big break up but I don’t think we’ve really had those issues.” She blushes a bit and looks down at her knees. “If we do, I’ll make sure to play with you.”

“So, um. Hi.”

“Hi.” She could feel his eyes on her, but she kept looking down, biting her lip. How was this going to work out? She’d never dated anyone and now here was- “So, how was your day?” She looks up at him, surprised. His shades were folded and on top of the dashboard, his eyes on her, hands resting, if a bit tensely on his leg. She relaxes, seeing his nerves. It comforts her to know he’s not only the cool kid, good at everything. She wiggles around in her seat so she can face him.

“It’s actually been really good!” she smiles at him. “Mainly because of you. I’m kind of scared of actually feeling happy. Things have been so bad lately.” He smiles at her softly, like he knows how horrible the other boys have been.

“Wanna tell me about it? I promise to not interrupt.” Pursuing the thread happily, Jade chatters about Karkat, and classes, and John’s unwillingness to talk to her and eventually takes his hand, rubbing her thumb on his knuckles. He rubs her hand back as they continue to talk. This actually felt really easy. She was a little nervous because, well, Dave but she was actually pretty content!

She shifts, putting her head on the seat as she listens to Dave. Some story about getting lost in Houston. She was doubtful at how many celebrities he met though when he stops. Confused, she meets his eyes. “Dave?”

“Hey, Jade, I just want you to know you can kiss me at any time. I’d be okay with that.” She feels her cheeks heat up. How was she supposed to respond? 

“Um, okay!” After a moment of silence, she picks up another thread. “So, do you travel a lot because of Bro?” He shrugs and explains, no, actually, Bro was stinking rich af, and travels around the world whenever he wants, leaving Dave at home with Doritos and Red Vines.

“Why Red Vines? Because we are classy motherfuckers at El Casa de Strider, and only drink flavored water. Bite off an end, make a straw, didn’t you know that, Harley?” She laughs and plays with his fingers.

“Good to know! I expect to be treated like a real lady, got it Señor Strider?”

“Good God, PLEASE don’t call me that. To many of Bro’s films have a ‘Casa Erotica’ or some shit and I’m just not ready to go there.” Jade sheepishly looks anywhere but his face, and suddenly spots the clock. 

“Dave, it’s almost 4! Don’t you have to leave?” 

“Yeah, Harley, just hold on a minute.” She looks up and he holds her gaze. His eyes are scorching red. “Do you wanna kiss?” Ugh, that’s so awkward, why did he ask, why didn’t he just go for it...

Her eyelids flutter as they lean forward, her heart pumping wildly. Dizzily, she can’t remember the last time she kissed someone. Maybe when Vriska tricked her, she can’t remember. Maybe she gave into Eridan before she realized how needy he was. His lips brush hers…

And just as quick he’s pulling away, and she jolts, slightly confused. She realizes she kept leaning forward, hoping for more but he was already snatching his glasses and darting out, rushing to get his swim stuff. A bit flustered, she hops out too, and pulls out her backpack, cheeks blazing. She hopes he didn’t notice her reaching, that would be really embarrassing! Seriously, what was she expecting? Thinking back on it, she doesn’t think Dave’s ever kissed someone. Of course he’d expect a peck, right? Or was he like, giving real affection? Nothing too far? 

Shaking herself back, she takes his hand, stopping him from going to the front. He leans toward it with a mild, “Yeah?” All the niceness has disappeared under his shades, hiding and she hazily wonders when she’ll see it again.

“Love you.” Stunned, he comes back and holds her hand properly. 

“Love you, too, Jade.” She hugs him tight, knowing this at least could hold him in place. He hugs back, hands cool through her thin shirt. “Cool.” He gives her a lopsided smile when they part and she waves before hurrying off.

“Later!” She hollers, and runs to go home and fangirl over this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same as always, leave a comment if you have any ideas or feedback! I think I know how the story is ending now, just needa write all the things. Thank you guys for bearing with me for so long!


	27. Chapter 27

All in all, things were pretty usual. There were still classes, people ignoring her, immense homework, but the weight of everything seemed to vanish when she had Dave. Who cared if Karkat didn’t get her jokes or John apologized for him AGAIN or the fish in the mushroom ecosystem commit suicide? She got to go home, rush through homework and answer a videolog containing a wet Dave, fresh from a shower after swim. They usually chat about inane bullshit but it was nice to know she had someone to listen to her. Especially when that someone was him. And it didn’t hurt that sometimes he was shirtless! Okay, even MOST of the time.

“Dave, you’re going to get me in trouble! Bec may be a dog, but he knows what a shirtless boy leads to!” she hisses, only half joking. That rascal had stolen more than one computer when she was talking to Dave.

“I don’t really get it. This is how I spend my time at home. Do you want me to go out of my way to go aaaaaall the way over there and get myself a t-shirt? Which I don’t usually wear to bed?” Dave smiles lazily, looking up from his homework.

“Yeah! Well, I mean, not now, Bec is napping by my grandpa…”

“Wait, so do you want me to put a shirt on?”

“Well, when it gets me in trouble! I guess it’s fine if you’re used to it, and Bec isn’t here…” She frets, chewing on a pencil tip. She likes it, him shirtless. Even if there wasn’t much to show off. But was it even okay to like? He acted all tough and swave, but she knew that kind of trust meant a lot when it came to relationships… Oh gods, did this count as objectifying him? She didn’t want to do that!

Finally, she remembers her audience and looks him in the eye.

His glasses are off, his hair has dried, and he looks pretty good! He’s leaned away from the camera so she can see his skinny chest, too.

“Jade.” He looks at his screen very seriously. “Do you want to look at me or not?” He gestures down to himself, head to toe. “Tell me if you want me to go get a shirt and not see my scrawny ass.” Her face heats.

“Dave, I never said I don’t want to! It’s just, um, I don’t know…” Her eyes wander a bit. “A bit promiscuous?” She looks directly at him as he contemplates. 

“... Well if that’s not a word that just got said.” He laughs. “That word is as dated as John’s ‘homosexual’.” She winces. “A boy without a shirt isn’t exactly rare. This is pretty much what I wear in swim. Now, are you gonna see, or not?” She hugs a pillow and nods. 

“Y-yes.” He pushes away from his desk and steps away from his chair. He’s practically bare, wearing only compression shorts. She tries to not focus on that as her eyes slowly wander. His shoulders are so thin, they look like a birds. She’d be afraid to hug him if she was there. His chest looks basically concave, and she could count his ribs if she wanted to. His torso would be the desire of every Barbie-aspiring girl, and his legs were basically sticks. He stands there for a moment, turning for a profile shot. Is that…? 

She can’t help it; she buries her face into her pillow, only squinting at the noticeable bulge protruding at his underwear. She emerges only when he sits back at his desk, calm and expectant. She looks at him, not knowing what to say but leaving it obvious that she was unsurprised.

“It’s not really so weird for you to look at me,” he says. “The dong mongers in swim do it all the time.” She wants to laugh. Sure Dave, they look at you for the same reasons I do.

“Dave. You’re really skinny. But that doesn’t change you? You’re still Dave. The same Dave that I think is pretty cute.” She smiles. “It doesn’t matter what you look like!”

“You think I’m cute?”

“Ummm…..” she blushes, but when he raises an eyebrow she confesses. “Of course I do. I mean, you’re not exactly standard cute, but I think you are really quite cute, Dave.” He seems confused. 

“What’s ‘standard cuteness’?” She sighs and leans away from her homework, knowing she’s not going to get away from explaining. 

“Standard is what people universally agree on. If we took how you look and fit that to universal cuteness… Well, your hair is a nice blonde.” She points out. “It looks good when you grow it out, but it’s kind of a gross brown when it gets cut too short.” He frowns and she smiles. “It would be even better if your hair was messy. The messy clothes you wear would almost be rebel cool, except you are a dork in baggy jeans. That just makes you look like a dork that doesn’t care, not making your perfection effortless. Um, you’re tall, which would be great if you filled out, but you’re skinny which would be great if you were shorter. At the moment you’re an awkward mix.” She laughs as he scowls now. “You’re eyes are gorgeous though.” Her voice goes soft. “Any girl would love those eyes, and all your cute freckles around them.” He sits in silence, thinking a moment. 

“That all doesn’t explain why you think I’m cute.” She shrugs.

“I like that you’re tall and scrawny. You being awkward and showing me that makes me feel like you trust me. Your clothes are so freaking terrible,” she’s grinning now, “and you look so much like a slacker but it’s just. You. And that’s okay with me.” He grins and stretches back in his chair.

“For the record, I’m not a slacker, I just think fashion is stupid.” 

“I never said it wasn’t.”

“Says the girl that’s wearing green to match her eyes.” She stares at him but doesn’t say anything. He was totally paying attention to her fashion. He stares back but backs off after she raises an eyebrow, and starts laughing.

“What do you think of me?” Jade giggles. “Anything interesting?” He takes another second to calm down a bit but smiles happily at her. 

“I don’t know what to say, Jade. Nobody’s ever made me feel this way before.” She gives him a look, but allows the brief description. “I mean,” he struggles, running his hands through his hair. “I know I’m supposed to say something really sweet but I don’t know, man. I…” she shooshes him.

“It’s fine,” she reassures. “All I need is to know you’re with me on this.” He nods. She tilts her head and smiles. “Love you, Dave.” 

“Well, I love you, too.” She holds his eyes for a second but breaks away, smiling. He smirks at her.

“Do you wanna hang out tomorrow?” 

“Of course!” She smiles up at him. “But now I’m going to bed.” He groans. “Night!”

“Good night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to emphasize the sweetness of Dave and Jade before getting back to a rude Karkat :) very soon! But of course, you can comment anything, any suggestions and such. Thank you so much for your time and following me through this radass journey!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter but i haven't had any time to write! im pressing hard for my gold award and this is all the foreshadow i could do >-> sorry guys but i hope it alludes well enough and that itll keep you satisfied? i dont even know how many of you continuously read this but whateves :) Thank you for your time!

ghostyTrickster [GT] started pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 11:11 pm. 

Jade eyes the notification apprehensively. She wasn’t quite sure where she stood with him. Everytime she turned to look at him, there he was, right next to Karkat. Her brother sure could be a pest but….

She asks Dave if she could go to bed and immediately opens the pesterlog.

GT: hey jade!  
GG: heyyyyy  
GG: whats up??  
GT: bluh bluh nothing much.  
GT: okay something much.  
GG: :?  
GT: i just thought i should warn you  
GT: karkat’s being a giant asshole!  
GT: i can't really figure out what his problem is but there you go.  
GG: john, hes always been an asshole  
GT: yeahhhh but never this bad.  
GT: he kind of flipped out at dave.  
GT: and i know that’s not weird because hate love and stuff but he seemed really mad!  
GG: theyre not kismesis though?  
GT: no, but he didn’t even listen to me this time!  
GT: kinda charged right through and ripped at dave with every troll swear word he knows.  
GG: its okay john you know hes always lik

She stops and squints at the screen.

GG: wait, you were trying to stop it?  
GT: yeah, just you know how karkat gets, he kinda needs me to keep him from killing everyone  
GT: especially dave. UGH.  
GT: they’re just my two best bros you know and i wouldn’t want one of them to end up on the troll lunch menu.  
GT: right?  
GT: … jade?  
GG: …  
GG: …  
GT: ……..  
GG: john  
GT: ?

She giggles. 

GG: you are so pale for karkat! :B  
GT: what?

She cracks up. Wow, could their friends be any weirder, it’s like they were born to be trolls sometimes.

GG: nevermind!  
GT: bluh. :(  
GG: bluh :)  
GT: BLUH.  
GG: hahaha well thanks for the warning john, ill keep an eye out  
GT: yeah, you do that.  
GT: i guess i’m going to bed.  
GG: me too :B heh night!  
GT: night.

ghostyTrickster [GT] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont forget to leave a comment down below if you have any thoughts or suggestions! thanks!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys I'm sorry, it's been a couple weeks 0_0 whoops

When John said Karkat was being ornery, he wasn’t joking.

The following day Karkat was extremely irritable, even to the band director. He snapped and growled and only relaxed a fraction when John scritched his head. Usually that would have him purring like an idle car, but Karkat remained stiff, slacking his scowl to a grimace (god, it was so pale, Jade could only imagine the comments on that shipping square…).

She kept her distance, cautious. His usual tense demeanor did not hold a candle to this - it was like now he was a wildfire - and she was nervous of a confrontation. Not because she couldn’t take him but she was nervous she’d do something she’d regret. 

Who cares, a voice whispered. He would deserve it for the way he’s been treating you. 

She scrapes her bangs from her eyes as if she could scrape out the thoughts from her head. 

You should provoke him, battle him. Destroy him. The voice cackles and she moans, rubbing her forehead. It gave her such a headache...

“Hey!” a voice hisses. She groans. 

“Whaaaaat,” she whines, ears flattened against her head. “Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep here.”

Dave gives her a wry smile from in front of and offers her a headphone bud. “You need the soothing tunes of Johnny Cash to lull you down. Like a baby with a beer bottle.” She rolls her eyes and puts the bud in. He fiddles with his phone and a cheerful country song starts up. She squints her eyes at him. He refuses to acknowledge her and gets back to his worksheet. For a whole hour, a playlist of country songs including “One Piece at a Time” and “Wagon Wheel” flow and she starts to do some of her work (Euler’s method, no sweat!), surprised at the songs’ softness. A lot of them are about pick up trucks but some are about going home to see the family or the mom or the lovely wife. She wonders if they’re meant to be about her. 

When the hour is over, she unplugs and gives him her bud back. 

“Thanks,” she ventures cautiously. 

He nods and teases, “I figured it was about time you listened to some real music, Jade. Told you, I’m a true country boy at heart.” She smiles but is suddenly slammed into from behind. Shocked, she can only look up at the figure that she recognizes as Karkat. John gently grips her shoulder, biting his lip and blurting “sorry!” before rushing after the troll. Jade bites her lip, her headache pounding as she follows at a slower pace. Dave follows, frowning.

Kill them! They’d both deserve it! The voice growls. What are they to us Jade, are you just going to let him get away with this inhumane treatment? Treating you like you’re some kind of DOG? 

No, she thinks, they can’t mean it. I don’t know what it is but that can’t be it!

They can’t even see you as human. The voice hisses. Who’s to say John wouldn’t put you down? Wouldn’t betray you the moment you snapped at him? They don’t trust you.

Stop it! The headache pounds, and tears start to flow as Jade bangs into the girls bathroom, knowing she’d be late for class, knowing Dave was probably outside but not really caring. The world could wait a second. They’re not like that, they’re my friends, that’s not what they’re doing!

The school bell rings and she stands there, crying silently.

Karkat’s always been an asshole, they voice slithers, coiling it’s words in her mind. But maybe he’s got a point. Maybe you’re not as hot as you think you are, it murmurs. Maybe you’re just a piece of shit that’s too bossy, that’s too emotional, that just bothers everyone. Maybe you shouldn’t even be here. Maybe you should leave them all the hell alone, stop worrying them. It cackles. Maybe they SHOULD put you down… She digs her nails into her skin and breathes, trying to control it. 

Maybe I’m fine, she thinks back. Maybe I try too hard, and sleep too little but maybe I’m doing just fine, so why don’t you leave me alone. 

Maybe you should stuff it and go cry like a little girl. Bitch.

Jade stops and takes a deep breath. Wipes her tears. I’m stronger than you, she thinks. The voice laughs.

Do you really believe that? Before she can muster the strength to argue back, her headache recedes a bit, the merciless presence in her mind fades. She can feel it there, hiding but she knows it’s gone for now.

Before she leaves, she washes her face, pulls her hair back into a ponytail (it’s gotten so long and messy) and rubs her eyes. Two more classes and then she can go back to her safe spot. The warmth of Dave’s arms.

She ventures out of the bathroom and goes straight to class. 

Señor Makara nods at her wordlessly, waving as she slides in. She keeps her head down as she slides into her seat, listening to the small performance at the front of her class. Scenes of spanish dialogue were performed at the beginning of each class everyday to make sure the kids would hear and say their vocabulary words regularly. 

She couldn’t quite understand what was being said but the gestures were enough. Dave has on a ginormous black hoodie that belonged to Fisherman Gam (she nicknamed him). From the jacket, he produces a bag of something dried and green. 

“¿Tienes tú mí efectivo?”

Gamzee gives a wide, lazy grin. “¿Nos hemos reunido antes de, mi hijo loco de puta?” Dave blanks. 

“What?”

“Lo siento mi hermano de milagros. Yo dije, ¿nos hemos conocido antes de?” Dave blushes, flustered and Jade gives a weak smile. Embarrassed Dave was best Dave.

“Gamzee,” he hisses not so quietly. “Just stick to the script!” The class laughs at slip up, Gamzee the loudest.

“You got it, brother.” He clears his throat and gives a ‘menacing stance’, hunching his back, but the goofy grin betrays the fun he’s having. “Dame el crak!” Dave backs up, shaking the bag.

“Dame el dinero.” Gamzee throws a wad of papers at him, smacking him in the cheek.

“Dámelo!” He rips the package from Dave and shoves away, heading for the door. 

“Aaaaand scene!” Dave gives a generous laugh as Gamzee turns back, smacking his horns into the wall. Kurloz claps and the class follows, Jade laughing too loudly. She gets a few concerned glances but Dave’s smile is genuine when she meets his shades and her smiles grows. They all look at Señor Makara to see his signing. (Honestly, they probably know sign language better than Spanish...) Gamzee answers his question with a wide smile.

“Don’t worry Mr. Bossman, it’s oregano.” Señor Makara nods and gestures for the boys to sit back down. 

“Nice job,” Jade whispers. Dave gives a thumbs up without looking at her. “Especially like the part where you get Gamz even more drugged than usual.” At that he grins and shrugs, watching Kurloz. 

“Have to make a political statement somehow,” he whispers. Jade focusses on the class, determined to keep moving forward with her day. He indicates that they will be working in groups, prepared by him. Jade groans, looking around, knowing she won’t end up with Dave, Tavros, Rose….

Her stomach sinks when Kurloz gestures her to… Karkat. And John. Along with Equius, someone she knew of, but had never talked to. Greaaaaat. 

Though the voice is silent, she knows it’s laughing at her, talking about all her failings, how of course the planets would align to pair her with these assholes, talking about how much of an embarrassment she is….

She jerks her chair too harshly, smiles too painfully, and blushes too brightly. She feels like a spotlight is on her, emphasizing her shame of being thrown into this group of friends. She looks longingly past John’s head to Dave’s, wishing she was over there with him and Gamzee.

Señor Makara snaps some cards onto the table which Karkat divides up. Kurloz explains that they’re playing Spanish “Who Am I”; they had to describe the person the other people were named in Spanish. This theme was Movie stars. It was… not bad by spanish game standards. Jade slowly warmed up, enjoying herself and ignoring the voice as the boys teased each other mercilessly. She laughed a couple times and even felt like they were friends!

By the end of class, she was cheerful, chatting nervously with John. She can’t remember the last time they had a friendly conversation at school. When Kurloz slams the board, the class stops and starts cleaning up. Karkat elbows John in the side and mutters in his ear, glancing up at Jade. Her smiles instantly fades.

Are they talking about me? What did he say? Was I a nuisance?

Jade hangs her head again, passing over her cards carefully. Karkat looks over at her, cringing slightly. He drags John forward and leans toward Equius and starts whispering harshly to the two boys.

Equius mutters in a low baritone and John goes, “I don’t know guys, I think she kind of-” Karkat shushes him so loud, most of the class looks over. Jade feels the spotlight again, embarrassed, and suddenly the heat in her face turns to anger. Who did they think they were to talk about her? It wasn’t fair, she was fucking human, with feelings, she was their fucking friend!

The bell rings and she shoves away from her desk, swinging her backpack over her shoulder, smacking Karkat in the head. “You guys are assholes,” she snarls and rushes out, tears stinging her eyes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay Okay I'm putting my lame ass excuse down here because I didn't want to ruin the story :) 
> 
> Soooo I've actually been  
> a) really busy ;(  
> b) in a bit of a mental block
> 
> see I finally got officially accepted to do my final Gold Award Project, meaning I need to put in 80 hours of work for one ultimate project in order to be the ultimate girl scout! It's meh but there's that. Oh there was cookie month just now, still happening, there's that. And I had a club competition for Science Olympiad. I know, ultimately these are kind of just excuses, if I really really wanted to write, I would, blah, blah but I have my second thing too.
> 
> For both this and my Music One Shots, I've had really good ideas I just can't figure out how to write them! D: I'm trying to work through, but even with the above I don't feel like it's all that balanced with how the story has been so far? Mostly I made it about Jade x Dave and I like it but let's be honest, all good stories need plot and I feel like I'm just kind of jamming it in and I'm sorry, but that's literally what I'm doing :/ sorry.
> 
> ANd there's a good idea for Music One Shots, I just don't want to ruin it so I'm taking my time on that one, it's so sweet :D
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> So I guess that's pretty much it. I ask please be patient, as Gold Award, but with Scioly and cookie season over, I think I'll have more time? Maybe update once every two weeks, I hope that won't kill yall. jk yall have plenty of stuff to read :) 
> 
> If you have any advice, or feedback, by all means leave a comment!
> 
> Shoutout to Gupagup on being a sweetheart, omg thank you >.>


	30. Chapter 30

Thank fucking God, everyone left Jade alone until the end of the day. She couldn’t handle another episode.

But God… she was lonely? She kinda wishes people DID talk to her but knows it would’ve ended horribly… God, how did that work out? Why was she so messed up?

She huffs and flounces to the band room, hoping Dave was free to hang out before swim, praying that he’d catch up after seeing all of his rad friends that she couldn’t talk to, couldn’t stand, that couldn’t stand HER… 

She bites her nails, briefly greeting Tavros and Terezi, waiting, waiting...

Finally, like a breath of fresh air, Dave rounds the corner and enters the band room. She trails like a lost dog, waiting for him to stop and look at her before asking, “Hey, Dave, want to hang out?” He gives her a small smile and nods.

“Yeah, ‘course Harley. I’ll meet you outside.” She grins, and bounces out, patting Sollux’s shoulder on the way out. 

When Dave comes outside, Jade smiles shyly, and tries not to go too fast. She bounces, grateful to be leaving behind the thoughts of being a sad, angry loser to just be in Dave’s presence for a little, and be happy.

As he opens the back of his minivan, she notices the sluggish pace from Dave. She slows down, and tugs on his hand to get his attention.

“Dave?” He raises an eyebrow. “Are you okay?” He nods, smiling thinly.

“Just tired. Got something like 3 hours of sleep last night.” All the hype leaves her body as she looks Dave over. He seems really hecking tired. “So what do you wanna do?” He questions. “Go eat? Go chill at the park? I’ve got some sweet raps I’ve been working out, if you want to hear them.” 

Jade bites her lip, worried. “I think we can hang out right here! Actually, a nap sounds pretty nice.” He smiles (in relief?).

“If you want. I’m staying awake though. I got swim soon, gotta keep moving.” She gives a crooked smile. Like hell is that happen. 

“Sure, Dave, anything you say.” 

“If you wanna nap, let’s hang out in the back?” he asks. The trunk of a minivan was pretty roomy… Plus he had blankets there from the couple times they had gone to the park. She nods and hops up. He follows and closes the trunk from inside. He takes his glasses off and they get comfortable, lying down and facing each other. Jade is shy but Dave seems pretty comfortable, and he puts a hand on her waist, almost protective, possessive. She smiles, glad for the contact. He smiles lazily and they lay in silence. She couldn’t help closing her eyes, realizing how exhausted she felt. When she manages to open her eyes again, she’s astounded and pleased to see him asleep.

Good, he needs it, she thinks. She gazes over his face, finally relaxed, peaceful. He had circles under his eyes and she imagines this is what alive Karkat looks like when he overcomes his insomnia to sleeps for a bit. Then she remembers she hates her Karkat and abandons that train of thought.

Looking at Dave, she feels her heart squeeze. She couldn’t lose this. If she did, she… Well, she doesn’t know what she’d do. Something dramatic, probably. Probably got this powerful, protective behavior from Dave. She just needs to protect him, this thin, tired boy.

After a minute, she feels his hand sliding off her hip and wonders if she should move it…. Too late. It falls and with a small thump, he startles awake. She smiles slyly at him and he clears his throat, sitting up.

Dang, she thinks, sitting up to lean on his shoulder. He could have used a nap, but he’s awake now.

He hugs her closer. “Hey, so you gonna tell me what happened earlier?”

She hesitates. “Why?”

“a) I needa stay awake,” he kisses her forehead. “2) I care and want to see if you’re okay. That a problem?”

“Ummmmm, no!” she kisses his jaw and hugs him. “I’m good.” She basks in the warmth and light of this moment, confident in her answer. All was well. “But, if you need to stay awake…” she kisses him lightly, “I think I can help with that?” Her voice is a whisper, slightly uncertain.

He smiles at her attempt to be flirty but quickly melts as she kisses him again. She holds his shoulders, getting on her knees to kiss him deeper. His hands run softly on her back, surprisingly cool in the warm car. It felt rather nice, actually. 

She rubs his neck and chest with her hands, sighing as the kiss breaks. He looks her in the eyes, firm. “Jade, are you sure you’re okay?” She nuzzles him and nods.

“Yep! Positive!” They come back together, and she touches the sharp bones of his spine. Gods, he’s so skinny… But he’s perfect. Very Dave. It’s perfect. His hands return the favor, cool on her hot back as he gently rubs up and down. 

Focussing again on the kiss, she asks for entrance and then retreats. Was that okay? Was she asking for too much? 

He immediately accepts. Surprised, Jade meets him in the middle, careful to not be too aggressive. When they part again he sighs and says, “well that was unexpected.” She nods and gives him a short peck, then holds him, rubbing his back. She fiddles with the hem of his shirt and after a moment, he pulls away, taking his shirt off. Surprised, but not altogether unpleased, Jade puts her head on his shoulder and runs her hands over his arms, down his chest, marvelling at his skin. 

Even knowing what it looked like, of course knowing what skin felt like, it was still so much different to let her hands roam his chest, knowing how sensitive and how much trust this took, especially with how new they were to this. She runs her hands down to his waist, presses into the side of his hips and when his stomach muscles flinch she wants to laugh. She rubs again and the muscles jump, making her smile. Well that was sensitive. 

God, she had so much power, so much control here in this warm little space, she could do so many things to him…

Suddenly, irrationally, she presses a hard kiss against his collarbone, open mouthed and hot. She wants to mark him. She needs to show those assholes, those band idiots, the people on swim, he belongs to someone, he belongs to her…

She kisses his cheek and tries to be smart, tries to speak coherently. “I shouldn’t, should I?” 

“Hm?” he hums. He seems dazed. She nuzzles his collarbone, kissing it again.

“I shouldn’t mark you, should I? Shouldn’t um, bite?” He breathes in deeply and sighs into her hair, moving a hand from her back to scratch her scalp gently. 

“No, that REALLY wouldn’t be smart,” he sighs. “Bro is swim captain, he’d spot it instantly. Not a moment I’d like to deal with.” She pouts into his neck, gently presses her teeth into his shoulder, making him shudder softly. She should’ve just done it. Now she won’t and that sucks. Stupid ability to think before she acts. 

“It’s okay...” she mumbles, moving her hands to tangle in his hair again. “This is good too. I vote yes to this.” She slides a hand back down and smirks when his hips flinch again. 

“Sure is.” He sighs and kisses her cheek, resting beside her neck. “Jade, I’m pretty sure I have to go.” She pouts, but nods. 

“I knoooow. Sun was going down.” She moves away, eyes low and modest as Dave finds his shirt again.

Jade tilts her head and smiles fondly at his time gear shirt. She has no idea how he got it when he wasn’t even godtier but it had ended up in his regular cycle of shirts somehow. “What’s it like, sensing time?” He hesitates a moment but seems to decide on answering completely honest. 

“Like feeling hungry but with time.” he replies, sliding out of the trunk, reaching out a hand to help her. “You feel everything going, like feeling your stomach going empty. Time is falling, emptying into a pit but you never get to eat, never get to fill back up with time. The sense of fullness, the time that’s passed, it’s just… gone.” She grabs her backpack, hugging him with one arm. He wraps himself around her. 

“Time is going more and more quickly,” he whispers. “I can’t tell if it’s cuz I’m getting older, if it’s from being in the dream bubbles, or cuz Lord English is closing in.” Jade knew Lord English was coming. Ghosts had a way with media, especially using ebubbles. #hesalreadyhere and all that. But they’d be okay. Their Derse was on the far side of the outer ring, she thought? Hard to guess the space though, vast as it is, limited as she was…

“Man, fuck aspects right? Know just enough to screw yourself over.” Jade giggles and kisses Dave quickly, lingering close. He kisses her deeply before pulling away, putting on his shades. “Love ya, Jade.” 

“Love you, too, Dave.” When they part, Jade feels like life was restored to her, and she can go on with her day. She skips away, the voice in her head, the problem of Lord English, and her overwhelming amount of homework a distant memory. For now. For now, she would keep on keeping on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha this story is way longer than I ever thought it would be. I'm glad it's still going though, I sincerely thank all for your support with this, and I know how this is ending now :) have fear, for our lovely cast is going insane.
> 
> As usual, if you have any requests or feedback, comment below :)


	31. Chapter 31

For another couple weeks, everything is in a weird, vicious cycle of Jade hating herself, wanting to destroy her friends, crying and then feeling better around Dave. 

Jade slumps in her Squiddle pile, thumbing his pesterchum account. She seriously wanted to call him but knew he was busy. Jazz band had some major festivals. 

But seriously, being around him actually makes her feel human. His casual conversation and cheep jokes is how life was supposed to be, not the dramatic bull she experiences on a daily basis. When she talks to him, she feels like she has no problems, like she’s a normal human, as cliche as that sounds. 

She doesn’t admit how much she depends on him though. She knows that if she let on how messed up she was, he’d worry, and he had enough to worry about. 

Sighing, she turns off her phone and tosses it on her bed.

The sheer amount of work he has is taking a toll on him. Their calls are limited to homework time because he has all these other crazy events to do, especially at for Jazz Band. She tries to go to them, but Karkat’s there, the Derse royalty gives her the creeps, especially Jack Noir and it’s just all around weird! She tells Dave that she can’t go anymore because Bec gets lonely without her. He seemed disappointed but he trusts her.

Dammit, why is she lying to him?! She sighs. It’s because he’s varying levels of tired on any given night! She wish she could tell him, wish she could explain everything… But Dad has upped their homework again, Jazz Band is hell, Swim is still hell, she really really really doesn’t want to hurt him any further! 

No I’m strong, she thinks. I’ll get through and so will he and everything will be great.

Jade eyes her phone again. She knew he was out but she could just leave him a message…

Reaching over, Jade drags her sheets to bring her phone near.

gardenGnostic [GG] started pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 6:12 pm

GG: hey!  
GG: i know youre off playing the trombone like a boss  
GG: with one creep jack noir staring at you creepily with his red eye  
GG: but i thought you should know

That I’m lonely, that I need you, that everything sucks, that I don’t sleep half as much as I should, that my stomach hurts, that I think I’d die without you, that our best friends have ruined me, that because of them I can’t stand myself, that you reverse that, that I don’t know what to do or what to say or what to feel…

The voice in her head says nothing but she gets the idea that he must be smiling.

GG: um, i love you!  
GG: i hope you are doing well on your various necessary tasks throughout the day!  
GG: man, I hope I havent bothered you  
GG: this is stupid actually, im sorry if my stupidity has interfered with your day   
GG: later!

gardenGnostic [GG] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG] 

Man, she felt stupid. :(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, this adventures days are numbered. Maybe I will write a part two with one shots of the after part, or some smutty bits I haven't put in the work, like, idk but have hope there's a many more chapters to go with this :) thank yall for reading this and if you have any thoughts or corrections, go ahead and message me :D


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating last week I was traveling >.> now shhhh only Jade angst now

Jade roughly flips her math book off her lap, screeching as she does. A low, canine rumble forms in her throat and rips its way out of her mouth. God, she was just so STUPID, so TERRIBLE. Arghhhhh…. 

She shoves away from her work table, crashes onto her bed and curls in on herself, fists pressing against her head as the tears slip out. She shoves her glasses off to keep them dry.

No, she wasn't stupid, she knows that she's not, she just can't, she can't do it, God, it was just so hard and she… 

She's shakes, limp and sobbing, yanking out her hair, God, she KNOWS how to do it, she does, math was easy, she’s built freaking computers for God’s sake and yet she just…. 

She feels something wet on her forehead. Jade chokes back some bigger sobs and numbly looks up into Bec’s face. He doesn't usually visit her room during homework time, but here he is, licking her cheek and whining. She slides slowly off the bed and hugs him tight. 

“Good dog, best friend,” she murmurs, stroking his thick fur. He nuzzles her and she takes a shaky breaths, trying to calm down. Her head was throbbing from crying and pressing her fists into her temples. Her hands were bruised from slamming them into the table, either in anger or to keep herself awake… 

Her homework papers littered the ground, smooshed under the heavy math book, her bass carelessly tossed on her bed and who even knew where her flute was… she has no idea where she threw it during a preceding tantrum. 

Pulling herself together, Jade sighs and stands, shoving her glasses back on before picking up the scraps of her room. Bec paces beside her, fussing and whining. He nudges to her a juicy red crab apple, which she tosses on her bed. 

“Bec, it's okay. I'm fine now and things are… well they're kind of awful but it’s whatever. Really, don't worry.” She kisses his head and wonders, how many hims are out there, how many sprites, like the alpha version, how many dead, how many wandering because he couldn't die, not with the green sun going… 

As she straightens, she sees her reflection in the old, disconnected fourth wall of her room. Her eyes were discolored from crying and she had dark circles under her eyes. Her face with thin and her clothes looked rather loose, hanging around her once firm frame. Now, it's almost like a breeze could knock her over….

Her stomach growls angrily, reminding her to eat, go grab the happy little fruit from her bed, but she ignores it and just stares at her face. God, she looked haunted… 

Something about her face fully floors Jade. That face was steadily and silently producing tears. She feels the trail they trace and sees them gently curve before disappearing off her chin. She was completely calm now and clearing her throat, ripping her eyes away from that view, she resigns herself to homework. 

She's defeated. She can't do it… 

But she does it, anyway. 

Settling back on the floor, she pulls her math book on her lap and keeps her left hand on Bec, who promptly falls asleep beside her. He didn't usually stay for long but looks like he was ready to settle for the long haul. 

Her lunchtop buzzes violently, startling her. She carefully drags it closer with her foot, cautious to not wake Bec and boots up pesterchum.

The tightness in her chest melts completely and she smiles weakly. 

turntechGodhead [TG] started pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

TG: hey  
GG: hey!  
GG: daaaaaaaave  
GG: 8 as  
TG: why  
GG: i dont know  
GG: :B sorry  
TG: its k  
TG: whats the homework  
GG: oh right! sorry  
GG: well theres not really much but the notes and…  
GG: actually yep notes and study for the math test  
TG: right  
TG: thanks  
GG: yep!  
GG: um  
GG: so you were sick today?  
TG: yup  
TG: i basically cant talk  
TG: at all  
GG: oh no! :x that must be torture for you  
TG: yup  
GG: uh sorry  
TG: its k  
GG: i was trying to make a joke  
TG: oh  
GG: yeah haha  
GG: sorry  
TG: jade its fine  
TG: you really dont need to apologize  
GG: okay, sorry  
TG: …  
GG: >.> sorry  
TG: … im gonna go sleep this off  
TG: get my snooze on  
TG: dressed up in all these zs yo, lookin fine doing it  
TG: and by it i mean wandering dream bubbles because  
TG: dream selves  
GG: right  
GG: thats a good idea!  
TG: yeah  
GG: um k sorry  
GG: i love you <3  
TG: love you too

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

Ugh.

Jade slumps, banging her head back on the wall. Why did she apologize so much? Oh well, she could apologize for that tomorrow.

But he didn’t show up for the rest of the week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know exactly where this story is going and it's going there full steam ahead. End in sight and by gods I hope youll like it :)
> 
> Just as usual, any comments or criticisms, go for it in the comments below. 
> 
> See you next week!


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey sorry this is a couple days late, I was passed out sick on Friday and yesterday. I'm still pretty sick but felt good enough to edit this little blurb and post it. Thank you so much for your time and patience while I'm sick, and busy , and graduating and it's just great to know that this stuff gets some notice, you know? Thank you!

She resists calling Dave, growing more and more anxious as the week passes. He couldn’t be gone forever, right? What if he got lost? What if his portal drifted away? She tried to relax but she couldn’t with him just … gone. She knew it was silly, he was probably just still sick but… She worries, okay? That’s not a big thing, to worry about the person you love right? Whatever, it was kind of freaking out but seriously, everyone worries, this is no different and…. 

She really had nothing to defend this serious panic attack. 

With the weekend came a smaller sense of peace; she spent the whole day wandering her island to distract herself and not much else happened. 

She ran into a couple ghosts, a Nepeta and Karkat who said they were hiding from Lord English. It was a good sign. It meant he was further away, right? They wouldn’t hide with him on top of them. 

Unfortunately, sticking around for too long made Jade’s stomach flip. This Karkat was kind and soft spoken (for a Karkat anyway). He rumbled softly and seemed to really enjoy rubbing Nepeta’s back, who gently curved into him. He was really sweet. They seemed really in love.

Her Karkat could never could be that free or kind and it made Jade feel disgusting. She quickly said her goodbyes and headed further away, thinking maybe she could explore some ruins.

Finally, when the weekend was over, Dave was there! Finally! She was satisfied in watching him, his face red from that blaring trombone and only coughing minimally. She’s so satisfied with seeing him alive, she forgets to actually talk to him. Whoops. Actually, as the panic vanished, anger started to fill its place. Where the hell has he been for the last 5 days? 

She doesn’t talk to anyone until lunch. She goes round to Mr. Egbert’s room hoping to see Dave with her group of friends, her Sollux, her Tavros, her…. Actually that was about it for her group of friends. She’s relieved to see him there, but when she arrives, Dave is hassling Tavros again, leaning over some desks to get in his face. 

“Tavros, bro, would it be okay if I sat on your horns?” Tavros says nothing, picking at his vest. “Hey. Tavros. Tavbros. Holy shit that is the funniest joke in all of existence. C’mon buddy, give me a laugh. You know you want to. This is bullshit man. Taaaaaaaavros.” Dave pokes his side, making him jump. Tavros blushes.

“God, can you leave him the fuck alone, you sick asshole?” Sollux is disgusted, but stares distractedly at his husktop. “I thought you didn’t do kismesis?”

“I don’t, I’m just trying to get Tavy-boy here to speak up a bit.” There’s a long pause as Jade silently slides into a desk, irritated. Couldn’t he just leave Tavros alone? “Tavros, c’mon, be a pal and lend me a seat, I’m dying here.” He lays across the desks, letting his tongue lull out like he’s dead. 

“Um, Dave, I really don’t want you to do that, at least, not for you to sit on my horns.” Tavros winces, drawing away when Dave slides off the desk to tower over him and yanks on his horn, as if gauging how stuck they were. “Please… don’t…” Dave smirks.

“Tavros c’mon, why do you have to be so pathetic?” There’s roaring in Jade’s ears. What the actual fuck? 

Other students jostle and move around the room, but to Jade, the whole world is isolated in this little bubble; her, Dave, and Tavros.

“What the hell?” she hisses. “What the actual hell is wrong with you?!” Her blood boils. Tavros hangs his head in shame and turns subtly toward Sollux as Dave focusses on her. His face is blank.

“What?” he maintains a steady poker face as she gapes at him.

“What? What the hell is wrong with you? I’m so mad I could hit you!” He stares at her for a second and gives a small smile.

“Sure. If you think you need to.” That’s all she needs. A small, timid voice asks what are you doing, Jade, no, but her leg already swings into motion and she kicks with all she has. She stifles a scream as she pulls away, her toe throbbing… Holy shit, was it bleeding? 

She pulls away and storms off, trying not to limp. 

What the hell was wrong with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: in troll culture, it is incredibly disrespectful to mess with someone else's horns. They are a weapon, and should be treated as such. If not, that’s considered majorly disrespectful the the trolls lethality and standing as a worthy creature. So Dave done fucked up.
> 
> If you have input, by all means leave it below in the comments. Thank you!


	34. Chapter 34

turntechGodhead [TG] is pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

TG: we need to talk  
GG: youre damn right!!  
GG: are you even going to explain what happened?  
GG: everyone is stunned!  
GG: you were so disrespectful to Tavros!  
TG: …  
GG: …  
GG: look  
GG: im sorry i kicked you  
TG: damn straight  
TG: it was stupid and immature  
GG: but you called him pathetic!  
GG: you basically called him worthless in troll culture  
TG: him sitting there and not responding  
TG: that actually was worthless  
GG: he trusts you! Calling him PATHETIC is not fucking okay!  
TG: well maybe i went too far but you did too  
GG: well!  
GG: you challenged me!  
GG: you antagonized the hell out of tavros  
GG: and talked to him like you were vriska or something!  
GG: he still has nightmares about her…  
GG: and i just cant believe you would do something like that!  
GG: …  
GG: dave?  
GG: ?  
GG: you… you coward!  
GG: you took it too far, i could only think of what a bully you were being!  
GG: pathetic is AWFUL  
GG: its awful and i hate it and ive FELT it and I felt it was my duty to intervene with you two!  
GG: youre just too afraid to admit you did something wrong to talk to me  
GG: …  
GG: goddammit!  
GG: ill talk to you tomorrow  
TG: lunch

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

GG: …  
GG: UUUUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!  
GG: YOU SCUM!  
GG: YOU LOW  
GG: FUCKING  
GG: SCUM!  
GG: WOOF!

gardenGnostic’s [GG’s] computer exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Per usual, any thoughts, leave them below in the comments ;)
> 
> Thank you for all the time you spend on this!


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, my weekly input :) did anyone see the Hiveswap trailer? I hope yall had a great 4/13!

The next day, Jade wanders out of math ahead of Dave, knowing they’d end up in the same place. They both knew Mr. Egbert’s classroom was homebase. 

She finds herself sitting at a desk playing around with a silly salad containing a flood of ranch and cheerful little tomatoes. How disgusting.

Her stomach clenches and rolls as she mushes the salad around. Jade was starving but it looked disgusting right now. 

She sees Dave enter her periphery and hesitate before sitting next to her. Not even realize they were there, Jade startles when Sollux and Tavros abruptly leave. 

Whatever. 

Her eyes remain downcast as Dave munches on some fries. He starts off with, “so…”

She wants to laugh at how awkward that was. Or maybe be sick. She munches on a solitary leaf and feels terrible, thinking that was kind of funny how awkward he was being but she really just wanted to die a little bit. 

“So you asked them to leave? How romantic Mr. Strider, a date!” The emptiness in her teasing is obvious and she feels like she’s shutting down. She was trying to save herself with this dead humor and it only made her feel more empty. 

“Jade, I wanted to talk to you.” He amends and picks at his jeans. God, this was so awkward. “I think it might be a good idea for us to break up.” Oh God, this was so much worse than awkward. 

Jade wonders if she can feel anything now and yep, it’s there. Red hot pain burns in her chest and the pit of her stomach. It’s in her head, pounding away and in her eyes, irritated from another sleepless night. God, she felt like shit. But breaching this subject… being away from Dave… everything so much worse. 

Shaking herself out of this analysis, Jade asks, “Why?”

As if expecting the question, he glances over at Jade and begins. “Well, I don’t think I’m good for you. I hurt you when I’m not with you and I can’t be with you because of all the shit I have to do.” Silence. “Being sick seriously opened my eyes. I got sick because of how busy I’ve been. I couldn’t talk to you because I was asleep literally the whole time. Things are just going to get worse, and I don’t want to hurt you.” 

The silence stretches out and Jade considers his reasoning to find a strategy. She couldn’t let this happen. “I agreed though, remember? You asked me if I’d be okay with that, I said I could handle it-”

“I know but now it’s starting to affect me too.” He interrupts. “I was seriously fucked up, Jade, and I know that hurt you, me being so terribly off. I want to,” he sighs, mask finally cracking as he frowns and agitatedly runs his hand through his hair. “I want to be good for you. I want to see you more and be with you and take you on a real goddamn date but I can’t. So I can’t ask you for this pitiful excuse of a good relationship either.” She stays quiet. “Jade, I love you enough that I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Hahahahahaha… Little late for that, she wants to say but she can’t. She knows if she opened her mouth only a pitiful little whine would come out. She knows she’s stronger than that. 

It strikes her that she thought this conversation was going to be about a whole other topic. She wonders if she should even bring up the argument they had, about how she accidentally exploded her computer with her First Guardian Powers because of how furious she was...

Now she just felt lost. Drowning, except the burning was in her eyes and throat and heart instead of her lungs… 

She takes a deep breath and wonders if there’s justification for anything she’s done in the last week. Wonders if she can fight this. Concedes that trying would be a bad idea. 

“If I can’t convince you to want to date me, there’s no point in dating you.” She says. She sloshes the ranch around in her salad. “And you’re sure this is what you want?”

Firmly, he tells her, “I can’t think of any other way to stop hurting you.”

Stop messing with Tavros, she wants to say. She keeps silent. 

“I don’t want this to ruin whatever time we’re forced around each other,” he mumbles. He sighs and tears a chunk of his tray off, ripping it to tiny shreds in his worry. “I really don’t want this to affect anything around us.” She shoves herself up and he stares after her. 

“Okay, no problem. Bye, Dave.” She hurries out of the room, dumps the goopy mess of her lunch away and rushes off, heading who knows where. Her next class? She vaguely heads in that general direction and thinks “why aren’t I crying.”

She sits outside her class, miserable but she can’t bring herself to muster any tears despite the throbbing of her heart. Her ears felt stuffed and her head ached worse than ever but there were still no tears. 

None at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pure usual, leave any input youd like and go ahead and tell me. How was your 4/13? Love you guys!


	36. Chapter 36

Well, no tears until she gets home…

Jade’s temper flares when she crosses the gate, leading to her beautiful, chaotic island and suddenly she’s slashing her claws, ripping apart everything along her path as if trying to decimate the place. Leaves, ruins, blue women paintings, and the variety makes her think maybe she’s teleporting as she goes but maybe this is just her losing track of time. 

She stomps determinedly, smashing rocks, inventions, trees, she must've magicked the space she inhabits, but she blinks and there's the mountain, the magnum opus of her little island, and she pummels it, smacking the ground as she howls and cries. 

She has no idea how much time she spends ripping her island to shreds but when she feels empty, she lands on the floor, panting. She blinks a moment and forces the tears in her eyes to slow and see that she's not in any danger. Jade finds herself normal sized and collapsed at the top of her staircase. Judging from her panting chest, she thinks she actually climbed up all those steps? Wow that was dumb of her. 

Her chest is heaving, her stomach hurts, insisting she eat but she ignores it all and forces herself up the final steps to her room. Flopping on the ground, she scrunches her eyes and trembles as the tears fall. The stinging salt water runs down her face with ease and she whines out in pain. God, her veins feel like liquid anger runs through them instead of blood. 

Her mind numb and exhausted, Jade’s head suddenly feels like it will pop, it’s so light. Even with an empty heart, it’s heavy and pins her to the ground, captivating her with the weight of nothingness. She’s not even sad anymore, she just feels empty, even as her veins run with anger. 

Jade spends a long time lying there, wondering what was happening to her. She can’t make heads or tails of this emptiness and pain and nothingness. Finally calming herself down, she sighs and rolls over. Even with this tantrum, she knew what she had to do. Homework wouldn't do itself… 

Flexing her powers, she pulls her backpack out of… well, wherever she left it and concentrates on her task. 

Math… she should do this chapter review, she’s pretty sure there’s a test coming up… 

With ease, she ignores her tantrum, numbing herself to its exist and gets to work. 

The next couple weeks feel like a blur of this; crying, emptiness, rage, and work. Work is her escape. It helps her forget of what happened… when she’s not losing her temper about it. 

Actually, where does that temper come from? She isn’t sure if it’s her problems with Dave, or Karkat, or how tricky her homework is... But she spends a lot of time knocking over her books before mustering the strength to pick them up again. On the bright side, Dave has left Tavros alone since their… their breakup... 

Every night, Jade slams her pencil down and rolls over instantly to start snoozing but finds herself exhausted everyday. It’s probably got something to do with all the energy she spends hating everyone… or maybe all the energy she spends doing homework? 

Either way, she’s tired, and feels like she’s gonna be sick. She starves herself and then binges some days, and boy, that pain sure is harsh but it’s all she can do to keep herself focussed. Eyes on the prize and whatnot, and that prize is getting out of this school, finishing and running away somewhere… Escaping to the dream bubbles won’t help, as there are even more ghosts of Dave, and Karkat, and herself that are so much better than her, but maybe she could find a place on Earth to hide from them all, she could manage in a city or something, lose herself in the crowd...

Hiding is her newest talent, hiding among her work, her plants, her countless other selves…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys :) I love leaving misery and sadness here. But in any case, more bad news. As AP Tests are... wow in exactly one week from now, I doubt I will post anything this Friday >.> I wasn't planning to for last Friday either but this chapter was already edited and I needed to update on the whole skipping a week of updating...
> 
> Thank you for understanding my babbies. To another depressing story!
> 
> Leave a comment if you have one


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting! Shit gonna go down mates, I've time to write it all this gonna be rad B) enjoy oblivion

PROM NIGHT  
Time passes in a dim haze of regret and fear but it seems only hours since the breakup when Jade feels prodding at her shoulder and Sollux asks, “Tho are you athking me to prom or what?” She kind of frowns and doesn't answer but Sollux begs and pleads until she relents. “For your own good, JD,” he promises. 

Jade agrees because she imagines she can hang out with Tavros and Terezi and Sollux... Who knows, maybe he’s right. She’s been very focussed on not being focused by concentrating on homework. She probably needs a break. 

And in her heart of hearts, Jade knew... She doesn’t want to but she has hopes that maybe Dave and her other friends will be there, too. Er, her adversaries? Those people she felt intense anger and hopelessness and longing for… Them people. Those guys that kind of screwed her over. God, she thinks she understands why ‘friends’ also means ‘enemy’ in Alternian. 

But either way, she goes, even alchemizing a sleek, black, starry night kind of dress. It’s called “Three in the Morning Dress” and looks kind of funky but she’s concerned when her Dress of Eclectica doesn’t hold her the way it used to… Kinda hangs loose on her a bit and looks a couple sizes too big. 

As she empties her sylladex of everything unnecessary for the rad party, Sollux grumbles, “Jade, I thwear to god,” fixing the blue and red bow tie he sewed together especially for tonight, “if you even think about talking to thothe nookthniffing aththholes, I will perthonally eat a jar of mind honey and explode my own brainth out. You know what, even jutht thinking about it would be too thupid for me to thurvive.” 

Jade determinedly fixes a firefly clip to her hair. “I don’t know what you mean, Sollux.” Her lips press into a thin line, whitening her already pale face. “No idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always leave a comment and criticisms if you'd like! thank you!


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad to be back friendos, this is it :) I really hope you enjoy the ending

Things are fine at first. Jade shies away from her... boys? Friends? Enemies? and feels jealous of John from afar. But sitting with Terezi chattering away beside her, Jade glances over. John comfortably hugs Dave around his shoulders, like some sort of blue cape with his suit, and Dave looks so good in his matching red. When he turns around he’s… Dave’s smiling. Not just his usual smirk either, an honest to God smile and she… She hasn’t seen that since one warm afternoon, peacefully wrapped in his arms and he just… He's patting his “best bro” fondly on the arms wrapped around his shoulders and she knows their relationship is different, she knows they're best friends but she can't help it. 

She imagines herself holding onto Dave’s shoulders, also standing on her tippy toes to reach him, kissing his cheek and him giving her that simple, stupid smile and… shit. 

Shoving away from the table, away from a puzzled Terezi, Jade rushes out. Prom is held in a prospit warship (out of commission now) and it's ginormous and golden and beautiful and she cries as the dark purple decorations of her school blur past. It's all too bright and too much and she feels like this must be a colorful nightmare because she just can’t breathe.

Bursting onto the upper deck, she leans over the rail and for a split second, thinks she’s gonna lean too far and fall over the edge. Heck, maybe she’d jump. But there’s nowhere to go, she’d just land in a dream bubble so she just stands there and lets her loud, angry tears fall into the void. 

Numbly, she wonders what dream bubble they'd end up in. Wherever they're meant to, right? That's how space paradox works? 

Jade slumps onto her folded arms and let's her makeup wash out with the tears. Good, she looks stupid anyway; stupid dress, stupid makeup, stupid hair. In a fit of fury, Jade yanks the wonky little firefly clip from her hair, a gift from John, and flings it into the void. But that’s not good enough, she shakes out her hair, messing up the meticulously combed beauty until she feels like the mess reflects what she’s feeling; a swirling, jumbled mess of crazed darkness and rage. 

Panting, she looks out at the void, and tries to think of anything but the mess inside her. That should calm her down; that works when she does her homework. 

The cracks have been spreading forever, but now the sky was alight with pulsating colors, in time with her throbbing head. It was kind of scary, if she was honest. Maybe they should be doing something about it, but her she couldn’t find it in herself to care with the overwhelming weight of her issues. 

Before she could start berating herself for thinking so selfishly or kneed her already painful head, her twitching dog ears detect the whisper of feet creeping behind her. Whirling, not in the mood to deal with anyone, her mouth rips into a snarl. 

It’s Dave and Karkat. They stop a few feet away. Her heart melts a bit, her growl turns into a grimace. She still loved them, her boys. Suddenly the voice in her head cackles and whispers, “Look at the two, just standin’ there. Ain’t they cute?” Stuttering, she takes a step back and pressed against the rail, confused. What was the voice doing here? It had been absent for weeks now, all that rage and angst and pain had been her own… “ ‘dorable little ones,” It purrs. “Both you trusted. Both you lost.” 

“Jade.” Dave takes another step toward her, hands up. “Hey. We just came up here to talk.” 

“We,” the voice sneers. “They in cahoots, ya see it, Jadey gull? They just came ta fuck with you some more.”

Jade’s eyes narrow. “How can you want to talk? Do you know anything I've been through?” She wants to scream how hard everything’s been, how it was all Karkat’s fault, why was Dave with him, how it was Dave’s fault but bites her tongue when he answers. 

“I know,” Dave grimaces. “ and I wish that didn’t happen. I need to tell you…” Ears twitching, she realizes she didn’t even hear an apology. Her patience snaps. Mother trucker couldn’t even apologize! 

“It's too late.” She and the voice hiss as one and she feels a terrible presence consume her mind. Not one of passion and anger but one of endless malice and conquest. Almost ageless and seemingly infinite, she thinks she should be afraid but she just can't fight anymore. She’s exhausted of controlling her emotions and herself so instead of fighting, she embraces this new force of darkness and howls, her pain turning to rage. 

Immediately, everything darkens, and sharpens. She can see deep details, but it’s all discolored. A shadow is cast from behind her; her dear mistress has arrived. Dave and Karkat take a frightened step backwards and seem to be shrinking… No, she’s growing. She growls and lets out a thunderous “BARK”. 

The boys pull out their strife specibi, Karkat’s face in pure terror and Dave’s in solid resolution. They were going to try to stop her. Cute. The voice whispers a single command and she lunges. Everything goes black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, let me know if you noticed anything that needs fixing or have any feedback! See ya next week!


	39. Chapter 39

GG: karkat, why are you ignoring me lately?  
GG: did i do something wrong?  
CG: I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT.  
GG: karkat, you havent been talking to me lately and i just want to know whats wrong!  
GG: please?  
CG: JADE.  
CG: THE REASON I HAVEN’T TALKED TO YOU IS…  
GG: …  
GG: ?  
GG: hello?  
CG: LOOK IT’S BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF HUMOR, OKAY?  
GG: what?  
CG: YOU HEARD ME.  
CG: DO YOU LIKE MAKING FUN OF PEOPLE?  
CG: ABOUT THE RIDICULOUS NOTION OF *TRIGGERS* KANKRI IS SO FOND OF?  
GG: no…  
CG: THERE SEE, WE’RE NOT COMPATIBLE.  
CG: END OF STORY.  
CG: NICE CHAT.  
CG: BYE.  
GG: karkat wait!

Jade begins to cry.

GG: goddammit karkat!  
GG: come back!  
GG: COME BACK YOU BALLESS SACK OF SHIT  
GG: YOU  
GG: FUCKING  
GG: DICK!

She’s stunned, blinking away her fresh tears when he actually responds back. She didn’t think that would happen.

CG: WOW.  
CG: I REALLY AM THE ASSHOLE HERE, AREN’T I?

Face hot, Jade’s pain turns into anger.

GG: YOU GOT THAT RIGHT MISTER  
GG: gr  
GG: i expect of a bit of an apology!  
GG: you hear me?  
CG: I HEAR YOU.  
CG: AS LOUD AND CLEAR AS IF I WAS THE ONE POSSESSING WOOF BEAST HEARING NUBS INSTEAD OF YOU.  
GG: well?  
CG: AS MUCH AS I WANT TO HELP  
CG: AS MUCH AS I WANT TO *APOLOGIZE*  
CG: I DON’T THINK THAT’LL WORK.  
CG: IT WON’T BE THE RIGHT *ME* YOU’RE TALKING TO.  
GG: what are you talking about?  
CG: DOESN’T SOMETHING FEEL WRONG HERE?  
CG: THINK ABOUT IT.

As unhappy as she was, Jade tries to put some thought into it. She squints around her, tears fogging up her glasses. It was her room, as usual, and yeah, Karkat giving in and admitting he was wrong was a bit weird, but… Something catches her eye. Instead of her island, outside is a forest of bright pink trees. Ugh.

This is in a dream bubble isn’t it.

GG: :B sigh  
GG: i thought sollux hacked pesterchum to keep us connected to only the versions we want?  
GG: what’s going on here?  
CG: I CAN’T ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.  
GG: which karkat are you then?  
CG: UM.  
CG: IF YOU DON’T MIND  
CG: CAN I COME INSIDE?  
CG: IT’S A BIT COLD OUT HERE.  
CG: PLUS IT’LL BE EASIER TO EXPLAIN. 

Looking up she sees a blizzard outside her window. LOFAF now?

GG: oh no!  
GG: i guess so…  
GG: if you want i mean :/  
CG: THANKS.

A moment later, a Karkat bursts through her bedroom door, shivering and slams her bedroom door against the wind. Watching him closely as he dusts off snow, she sees his clothes are a muddy brown, and when he looks up at her, his eyes are empty. Dead Karkat, of course. All the ones she met were, but… Dead Karkat in godtier? She couldn't imagine what session he came from. Must have been pretty bad if even he ended up dead on his slab…

After ridding himself of the foul snow, he leans casually against the door.

“Now that I can see you I can maybe help out. What do you last remember?”

She twists her blankets nervously, and absently rubs her eyes. When she pulls away her sleeve, tears have soaked it through. Shit, she must look like a mess right now. “I don't know… I remember…” she looks down at her hands… They were… She imagines them a dark gray, darker than a trolls… Looking up and lunging forward… 

“Oh no! I’m asleep, I need to wake up!” Jade suddenly panics, jumping up. “I have to go!” She darts around for a minute before she remembers, she dreamed up this bubble and therefore has no idea where it is. 

She turns to glare at Karkat. “Are you gonna help me or not, fuckass?” He waits patiently for her to stop fussing. With a huff, she crosses her arms and glares at him. 

“Jade, I’d like to help. Really, I would. But remember, when you’re asleep, you only wake up when you’re meant to wake up and time is relative here.” He crosses her room to sit on her bed and pats the spot beside him. “Why don’t you come sit with me? We can have a nice talk?” Jade deliberates for a second. He’s a Karkat and looking at him makes her chest tighten… makes it bleed, makes it hurt but he has a point. There was nothing she could do but hope she came to. And as unwelcome a Karkat may be right now, she’s tired of being alone. She sighs and joins him, wrapping her arms around her knees as far away from him as she can manage on her messy bed.

“ I'm going to ask again, Jade. What's the last thing you remember?” She thinks about resisting but his serene air helps her relax enough to develop an answer.

“I was… I was fighting you and Dave.” He nods understandingly. She emphasizes, “as in, I was maybe trying to rip your throats out.” He smiles lightly and rests his head in a hand, looking over at her.

“That surprises you? We've already covered that I am a human phallic object and a disgusting, waste ended nook.” She eyes him suspiciously and starts picking a hole into her sweater. Nervous habit. What the hell was he doing, being nice? Trying to get her hopes up or something? 

“So why are you here? Talking to me?” she demands. He shrugs, leaning back on his hands.

“I just happened to cross your dream bubble.” She eyes him cautiously, not convinced at his casual air. He smiles. “Unlike your Karkat, I reached godtier and became a fully realized Knight of Blood. And guess what that means.” She shrugs. “Well, knight is protector, you know that.” She nods at that. Of course she knew, Dave was the Knight of Time after all. 

Uncomfortably, she tries to push that thought away. It's not like he protected her.

“Blood! What does blood mean?” She leans forward, trying to be more invested, trying to escape her thoughts. 

He answers patiently, “Well, blood is essence.” She shakes her head.

“Like a soul?”

“No, that’s heart aspect. Nice try, though.” He contemplates for a moment. “Soul is more like everything you were and remain to be. It’s a constant. But blood is everything you could be. Everyone you could be.” Jade wrinkles her nose.

“So like, human potential?” 

“Yeah, that’s a good fucking way to put it. So I’m the protector of *species’* potential, just to not be a fucking racist like you,” she flinches but he smiles as he goes on, “So I guess I just wander the dream bubbles and try to help out.” She frowns.

“If you protect people’s futures, what about the war?” He sighs, scratching his head. 

“Yeah, I heard about that. I kind of gave up fighting. As adamant as I was about being the fucking best and being the top tier head threshecutioner to prove my worth in this doomed as all hell society in a manner that was not only self destructive, but selfish over the survival and happiness of my remaining friends, let’s not kid ourselves. I am completely fucking shit at fighting.” She laughs a tiny bit, learning to relax. She shifts to a more comfortable position as he finishes, “I’m sure you know, I had a weak as fuck denizen and… you know, it just wasn’t in the cards for me. It’s not where I’m meant to be.”

“You sound very relaxed.” She raises an eyebrow at him. “You sound a lot like Kankri.” 

Karkat bursts into violent laughter, looking like he was going to cry from it. Jade’s face heats up and she wants to yell at him, what, it was a simple fucking comment, am I not good enough to have an intelligent fucking conversation but he interjects, “ Yeah, that’s not a bad way to see it. He’s a fucking awful person, and has no fucking clue what he’s talking about but he’s got a point when it comes to having an intelligent fucking conversation instead of my gaping garbage mouth spewing complete bullshit all the time. It’s not even coming out the right chute!” Oh. He actually liked what she said. He legitimately thought it was funny. Anger drains away and she smiles at him, shy and uncertain.

“Heh, oh no! Who are you and what have you done with the real Karkat Vantas?” He gives a broad smile and pats her knee. She forces herself to not flinch, but manages. Maybe she could be friends with a Vantas. 

“Jade. I'm just at peace with myself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too much unhappiness lately. I was gonna continue with what bull was going on in the warship but that mess is a mess and it's been too long since anything even nice has happened, I needed it haha. 
> 
> I hope you guys are still enjoying still reading, and I love y'all for whatever time you've committed to reading this :) As always, let me know what youre thinking, leave a comment below!


	40. Chapter 40

Dave slams onto the ground. Her Imperious Condescension knocked him with her 2x3dent and looms over him now, leering at him. Dave grits his teeth, mind working a mile a minute to escape but Karkat leaps forward, sickles out in a protective stance over Dave and tries to appear threatening, growling and baring his teeth. Dave suppresses a sigh of relief at the distraction; he would’ve been done for. But he knows Karkat is fucking terrified; Alternian trolls found the concept of adults horrifying and she was THE adult, the oldest. 

Dave watches in awe at Karkat’s bravery. The small troll swipes, lightning fast that would’ve turned any imp into grist but Her Imperious Bitch catches the curve of his sickle on her 2x3dent and twists it with a grin, forcing him to move with his sickle or risk losing it altogether. Karkat smacks into a cabin wall and tumbles on the floor of the deck. Trying to distract her from the downed troll, Dave leaps back to his feet with the grace of a dancer and swipes at her hip, scraping her enough to get her attention, growling at the wound to her pride. 

Fuck, he wishes he could check on Jade, she went down right in front of him but the moment she collapsed, HIC started attacking. 

But what the fuck happened to her? HIC seemed annoyed at her sudden swoon but if she didn’t cause this, why did Jade fall? He knew she could’ve ripped them to pieces if she wanted to, and it looks like she did but she was stopped. And why was this superbitch here? Wasn’t she off controlling a planet or something? 

A war cry catches his ears as a warrior troll leaps in front of him. Also sporting a 2x3dent, he recognizes Meenah, who presses the queen back.

“Hey waterbitch, ‘member me?” she taunts. HIC snarls and strikes, but Meenah blocks the swipe with her own weapon and moves with the powerful swing. “Yeah bitch, you know you want me! Maybe you’re just afraid, huh?” 

Dave doesn’t let it phase him and lunges the Black Queen. HIC easily blocks the weak attack with her 2x3dent and slaps him across the face. He was good, but this bitch had almost forever to practice and she was just toying really. He stumbles back, blind now, goddamn those rings hurt like a bitch and fuck, where were his shades, he kind of fucking needed those goddammit, but he can’t see. His eyes water and he resigns himself to death. But something drags him backwards, stumbling and a sharp hiss chides in his ear, “Do you want to die, you fucking loser?” 

Dave fights to steady his vision and feels grateful when someone shoves his shades back in his hands. Everything is blurry and his eyes sting but he can see HIC chasing after her prescratch self, the pair struggling away from him. Looking back, Karkat stands slightly behind Vriska, supporting an unconscious Jade with one hand and clenching his sickle in the other. Vriska stands with an air of destruction and anger and scowls immediately in Dave’s face. He doesn’t back down.

“What the fuck is going on?” he demands. 

“What, just because I go to school, I have to be a lazy little fuck like all of you?” she sneers. “I’ve been planning this for months! Of course HIC would want a powerful Witch of Space on her side. Especially if she happens to be living and all! That just makes Jade all the more powerful and the Queen all the more insistent on getting Jade.” Vriska flicks her hair back and saunters to Karkat, hefting Jade’s other shoulder. “Really, you should be thanking me for taking Jade out for the count. She’s not even dead! Just sleeping.” She and Karkat start dragging Jade away. “You gonna help, HERO?” she calls back. Annoyed, Dave grabs Jade’s legs and they hurry her away. 

“Okay, so how the fuck could she even tell Jade was here?” Vriska rolls her eyes. 

“The Batterwitch is a hero of life. All of you stupid little humans still happen to have life, remember? It wouldn’t be difficult to find one of you, let alone the entire planet!” Vriska smirks but looks almost wistful, reverent as she talks about the Condesce. “If she conquers Earth, she gets more power. She can play quite the chess game, I’ll give her that.” She shakes herself out of her little reflection. “Now you idiots need to get Jade the fuck out of here, got it?” Vriska pulls away and the boys stumble and try to catch Jade. Dave takes her shoulder now, careful with the dog girl’s head. “I have to go help my girlfriend before she gets stabbed with her own fucking weapon. Any questions? Good.” Vriska runs after the fuchsia bloods, prepping her dicekind as she runs. After watching the vicious thieves rush each other, Dave and Karkat continue pulling Jade away. 

“Where the fuck are we supposed to take her?” Dave grimaces. 

“How the fuck am I supposed to know? That psychopath’s always been one step ahead of me, and I’m the fucking leader!” They take her downstairs, relieved to find the ship mostly empty. Vriska must’ve called a warning or something. 

They head towards the nearest transportalizer in uncomfortable silence. 

Karkat decides to break it. “I told you she was fucking unstable.” Dave frowns. 

“Yeah bro, you fucking told me. You being unstable worried me more, with your self deprecation and self hatred and all that. What I wasn’t worried about was the strongest fucking girl I know falling prey to the stereotypical break up depression and causing a goddamn chain reaction to destroy her sense of humanity and turn her into this grim, dog thing.”

Karkat looks like he wants to retort but decides to shove it. The silence continues as they drag her up a flight of stairs. Fuck, why was this ship so big? This was awkward and he was worried about Jade. Dave thought Vriska’s mind control wouldn’t hurt her, but who knew how it affected humans?

They find an anxious John waiting impatiently the next floor up. He immediately jumps away from the wall and comes closer. 

“Oh no! What happened! Can she wake up?”

Unanimously, the knights reply “NO.” John regards the pair warily, one angry, one blank, before he picks up Jade’s legs so they can hobble away. 

Having decided they weren’t so mad they’d hurt him, John chides, “Well dammit guys, I told you! We all have problems and we’re all a goddamn mess. Karkat, you should’ve said something about your feelings for her. Dave you shouldn’t have broken up with my sister if you LOVE her.” Dave’s melting demeanor finally snaps, the thin ice cracking under the heat of his anger. 

“Of course I fucking do! What else could it be Egbert, I’d die for her to not be this way.”

“Well then why is she?” John demands. “Why is she twenty pounds lighter, with pale skin and looks like she’s been crying? Oh wait, she has been.” He pulls on Jade’s legs, immediately making the other boys pause. “I mean LOOK at her.” 

The knights get a chance to really look. They see what John sees; a broken Jade. Her hair was weak and broken from nervous tearing. Her once comfortably firm form was thin and weak. Under the messy makeup, her bronze, glowing skin was replaced with a lack of color and her dazzling eyes seemed almost sunken. Her pretty dress was now torn and though fitting, seemed about 3 sizes smaller than it was maybe a year ago. 

Karkat, voice was low in mute horror; “Oh god. What have we done to her?”

John scowls, “Treated her like a damn chew toy while you guys fuck each other over!”

Karkat mumbles to himself, grimacing. “Fuck, this is why quadrants shouldn't mess with other quadrants…”

“Oh, fuck the quadrants Karkat, look what you’ve done to my sister!” 

“Hey, it’s not just us, where the fuck were you?” Karkat shot back. “That’s right Egbert, YOUR damn sister and you didn’t do anything about it!”

“I was trying okay, it’s not like she’ll listen to me when it comes to you guys, and then I had to start a-species-izing with you two when all I really want from you is-” John breaks off and blushes. “Nevermind…” He stares hard at the ground, in anger or embarrassment who knew while the knights regard him with an angry yet intrigued air. What did he want? 

Despite the looks, John seems to rally himself and looks at each of them, blue eyes piercing like a hot needle through butter. “Either way. We need to stop thinking in terms of ‘I’. We were all too selfish and Jade paid the price. Once we become a real we, maybe all this stupid will finally stop.” The other boys ponder this silently. A real we? The hell does that mean? When did Egderp get so philosophical? Must be the shrooms Casey’s been digging up for him.

Annoyed at his own vacant thoughts, Dave hangs his head in shame. “Fuck. Guys…” He runs a hand through his hair. “Let’s just get her out of here.” John sighs, looking like he wanted to say more but nods. 

Hefting her back up, they continue in silence. If they weren’t too lost in their own thoughts, Karkat and John might have seen the resident coolkid let a few tears slip. They sure as hell heard him sniffle but nobody mentioned it. Clearly, he had allergies. That’s all.

It wasn’t cool to have allergies, but it was a hell of a lot less cool to be crying over some girl...

Goddammit, there he went again. Too damn arrogant, too fucking blind to see what he was doing to someone so strong. He couldn’t see the damage done, and now… Well, now it felt too fucking late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Per usual, hmu if you got anything to say or ask! Thanks guys for letting me get this to its end :)


	41. Chapter 41

Laughing so hard she thinks she’ll pass out, Jade leans against the headboard and sighs, trying to stifle her giggles.

“Wow! I can’t believe Equius could break that many milk bottles!”

“I know, right? Goddamn, that stick of dip is such a psycho!” Karkat wipes away a tear, smiling fondly. “That sweaty, horse fucking monster is the shit. Actual shit. So shitty he smells of his horrible sweat but goddamn he’s important for bodily functions like my actual living.”

“Seriously.” Jade nods and leans back comfortably, content. God, she hasn’t laughed this hard since… she can’t remember when. God, how fucking sad was she?

Her smile fades and she hugs her knees. Wow, she almost forgot what a total piece of shit she was for a second. That was a moment for the books except not really because her existence wasn't worth recording. 

“Jade?” Karkat breaks her rumination. Startling slightly, Jade snaps her head back up. 

“Huh? Sorry, what is it?” She sounds breathless. “What did I miss?” He stares at her for a long second. 

“You were thinking something really fucking hard. Wait, let me guess. You were trashing yourself, weren’t you?” She looks away, not wanting to admit her weakness. He was actually being friendly to her, she wasn’t going to take advantage of that. People cared, but not that much. “Jade.” He shakes her shoulder and she startles again, sniffling and jumping away. She pulls her hair out of her face and starts wiping away tears. 

“Sorry, yeah, sorry, what’s up?” He gives her a sad look and moves closer to her again, giving her a side hug. 

“Jade, I can talk until I’m fuschia in the face and it won’t change a damn thing if you don’t change for yourself. I am here for you and I want to help you.” 

Shamefacedly, she looks away.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Rule 1, you don’t need to say sorry for being you. You are who you are, and anyone who has something to say about it can shove a rusty fishing hook up their nook, and be strung up from the line, okay?” She disagrees, but nods anyway. 

He twists her shoulders and tilts her chin up to look in her eyes. Tears were starting to form in them. “Look, you don’t have to tell me. I was top of the list for self loathing champion of Alternia, and I wouldn’t put it past me to not be drama queen of all the universes, but you can’t be sorry for who you are Jade. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for you being you. And you need to feel that or it’s not gonna work.” 

Looking into the vacant, dead eyes of her enemy, her best friend, Jade saw herself. In her reflection, she saw the hooded eyes, the way her frame had grown so tiny. She lost twenty or so pounds since this started. She knew that. She didn’t want to be like this anymore. More than hating herself… She knew she wanted to change. She wanted to make that change… maybe she finally could. 

For the first time in forever, a small spark of hope ignited in her. Maybe she could be strong. Maybe she could do this.

Karkat keeps his voice steady and asks again.

“I’ve talked to you and told you all I can, Jade. The making a change part is on you. So what’s it gonna be?” 

Focussing hard, she remembers who she’s been for so long… weak, angry, tired, almost psychotic. Thinking farther back, she remembers better days, adventuring with Bec, finding LOFAF, seeing her mysterious godtier slab for the first time. She had no idea of course, but later found out this would one day help her reach her fullest potential, become someone great. She had been so excited at the time. Now she was just so wrapped up in all this crazy stuff….

No. She was wrapped up in her own drama. Herself. Her stupid friends. And she didn't have to be. 

Dave. Sweet Dave… or, he used to be, who was so shy and dorky and fun to argue with and shoot the shit with. Now he ignored her, ran away from her, couldn’t even look at her… Sure, she was crazy, but he turned his back on her.

Karkat, someone she thought was her best friend, ignored her, raged at her and not in the fun way. He hated her and now, she hated him.

John, that slimy slug, he couldn’t even pick a side! He couldn’t even completely betray her, he left that little tiny hope, tantalizing her and it was agonizing and confusing and she…

She pushes off the hate that envelops her, forcing her emotions into check. She takes a mental step back and realizes. 

“I don’t want to hate them,” she whispers. “I don’t want to be afraid of them either.” She turns her back on that hate, and pushes off the lingering voice that urges “kill, consume, obey, kill….”. It's hard, so so hard, but she calms down, and turns off the voice that motivated her - that destroyed her - to let go of her pain. 

Slowly, she looks up at Karkat. She looks him straight in his eyes.

“I refuse to hate myself. I refuse to hate them.” He nods slowly and eases himself off the bed. 

“What are you gonna do then?”

She imagines herself, strong and powerful again. She imagines crushing the voice that whispered lies in her head for months and the one that screamed at her to kill her friends. She imagines fighting back with a furious love for herself and her life, angry at the Queen using her like this. For a brief second, she imagines that love being as strong as the Signless’s rage, enough to fight back. 

She imagines brushing off the snide comments she thinks of herself, not just knowing that people aren't whispering about her but not worrying if they do. She imagines sneering at a passing thought of her own weakness. She wasn’t weak. She was strong and she would show it to herself.

She revels in the idea that she won’t need to depend on her friends for validation. She will get there, she believes that. Nothing else has worked, right?

She grows more confident, knowing that all of this is within reach so long as she masters her own emotions. That once seemed daunting and impossible, but she now felt… something. Love or anger she couldn't tell, something fueled her to protect herself, not her body or her life but her. She knows that it's not impossible to control her emotions instead of letting them control her. 

She smiles to herself, and looks around for Karkat with excited eyes.

Something ==> happen 

Little hummingbirds swarm her, fluttering about. Jade realizes she stood no longer in her room, but on her godtier slab. Starting to panic she finds Karkat who floats a few feet away and smiles at her, soft and warm. She relaxes somewhat but what was this? She was dreaming, she wasn't able to die, she was… She was consumed by hummingbirds. 

CLosing her eyes, Jade could feel herself shift, growing stronger, muscles layering back and herself grow more awake. Her weary eyes focus and sharpen and her ears perked happily instead of drooping. Her senses broaden again. She clenches her hand and it no longer trembles. She felt powerful again. Radiant.

Her clothes thickened and grew soft, felt-like and she looked down to confirm yes, it was her godtier dress, the one she never earned. 

The light fades and the birds peck about her before vanishing to nothingness. Jade’s bubble shifts and settles into Skaia. 

“H-how is this possible?” she asks in wonder, examining her own steady hands, no longer shredded from her own nervous scratching. Karkat deems it safe enough to move closer, landing gently beside her and takes her hands.

You chose to be a new you. Maybe that change was enough to consider your old self dead.”

“But I’m only dreaming...” she wonders. He shrugs.

“I mean, who knows, maybe it’s just a shitty metaphor.” He smiles. “But… I know you’re going to wake up soon.” He smiles, broad and genuine. “It’s time, whatever the fuck that means in this shitty ass bubble.” He hugs her, soft as a cloud. 

“Jade... Please, don’t forget to take care of yourself, okay? And take control of yourself.” She swallows and nods, hugging him back tightly. “And to ignore the shitty haters. And kick me in the shameglobes if you have to.” She laughs and kisses his cheek.

“Thank you.” 

She cups his cheek and pulls back to look at him. “Thank you so much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much longer now! I really hope you guys have liked this story, things are finally turning out for the better :) maybe >:]
> 
> oh yeah, also i wont be here next week, so the next update will be a couple days late! sorry!


	42. Chapter 42

When she pulls away, Karkat is out of his godtier and looks really fucking uncomfortable. 

“Jade.” He seems at a loss for words. Finally! She thought he'd never run out of his hilarious yet unnecessary word vomit. He finally settles with, “what the fuck.”

Realizing this was extremely awkward, Jade yanks away, panicking and almost falling to the floor. Karkat staggers a bit and stronger arms help him put her down. Guess they thought she could stand on her own. Wrong! 

She tries to sit up but finds herself too dizzy. This was a far cry from how she felt only moments ago, strong and sure. Taking a moment, she looks about her and flushes in shame. 

Three faces look down in concern, each with traces of other emotions. Karkat’s darting eyes and fierce scowl reveals his pain and near panic. John gives her puppy dog eyes, pleading with her as he soaks uncomfortably in his guilt. Dave’s subtly downturned mouth and creased brow whispers his sadness and pain to those that know him. 

It shocks her, how well she knows these boys. The ones she loved, thought she knew. The ones she couldn't trust right now. 

Nevertheless, she was grateful that not one of them was afraid. None of them were afraid of HER, something she worried about since the day the voices told her they were. She shouldn't have listened… she should've seen the truth before her eyes. 

Relieved about that, Jade struggles to get up. Sitting up, blushing, she mumbles, “wha- where-,” she pauses and clears her throat for a firm, more clear voice. “What happened?” The boys above her exchange glances and immediately start talking at once. 

“Weeeeeell you see-”

“Seriously, fucking shit, Jade, we were worried. It’s that bitch Vriska and her fishy girlfriend at it again-”

“It's fucking Dave's fault of course-”

“But you’re okay, we got you out of there so we can stop being such idiot stupids, it’s us-” Irritated, she interrupts. 

“Guys, stop,” she demands. The babbles stop and she struggles to her feet. Assessing herself, she feels tired, already wobbling. But she felt a heat inside her, powering her like a small sun in her vast, spacey body. It was weak and small but it was there, a candle that held against the inky blackness and could be seen from a mile away. She could do this. 

“Listen up, cupcakes.” They stand uneasily before her. “I said listen up!” She snaps. All eyes are on her as she balls up her fists. 

“I have problems with you, all of you,” she points at each of them in turn, “but if we don't live through today, it really doesn't matter.” 

She points to Karkat. “You've been a huge jerk and have been ignoring me forever! You deserve a foot up the nook and then some.” To John, “you chose them over me, you chose friends over family, you turned your back on me for your own benefit,” and to Dave, with tears stinging but lighting her eyes like a match, “you broke my fucking heart to pieces.” She pauses, making sure she was in control. The tears stop and she clears her throat. 

“We’ll deal with it later. All of it. I'm ripping you and our friendships all to shreds and then burning the pieces to ash. But then we'll see where we stand and see if I could ever forgive you for what you've done to me.” She stops again and very clearly enunciates, “and see if you could forgive me.” She let that sink in. She knew she screwed up to and wanted to let them know. Still, it was kind of embarrassing, so she continues without commenting. 

“But for now, we're going to help the people who stood by me and help every helpless human and ghost we can! We're gonna drive back the Black Queen, keep her from taking Earth and slow her down for the Alphas! Weaken her and then take on Lord English with the ghost army! Now who's with me?!” She glares at them, daring them to back down. 

Immediately, John nods and uncapturelogs a hammer. He apologizes, “I'm so sorry Jade, I know I haven't been there for you, sis, but I swear to you, I’m by your side, I’m here for you now!” She nods and he tosses the heavy sledgehammer over his shoulder. 

Dave nods next, ever the cool kid, and draws his shitty sword. “I'm sorry Jade. I haven't been there for you, but I hope this will be a start in making it up to you.” He looks like he wants to say more but finally comments, “that’s really all there is to say on the matter.” 

“I’m sure,” Jade comments, not believing that at all. Nevertheless, she nods. She was much more open and trusting before, therefore much more broken by Dave’s betrayal than her ditsy little John. It would take a lot to get back to friendship, but she hopes he'll try. She wanted so much for him to be worth the heartache. 

Turning to Karkat, he still had his arms crossed, leaning away from Jade in an uncomfortable fashion. But when he looks up in her face, she meets his doubt with silent, fierce confidence, letting him know she didn't need him, but if he refused, he'd be branded a coward. He growls.

“Fine, you know what? Fine. We’ll help the psychopath and her fish friend, okay? Don't make me say it twice.” He clenches his hands, still uncomfortable but with his sickle out. Jade almost growls back but realizes the psychopath was Vriska. She mentally concedes and nods at his comment.

“Fine. We need a crazy person on our side, Karkat. Actually…” she flexes her mind, searching for her powers. She focusses on that fierce little fire and uses it, pushing the heat outward to her inner space. The boys seem to shrink as she expands, pushing herself to the far reaches of herself and smashes through the top deck of the ship. 

“We need all the crazy power we can get!” She booms, rifle appearing in hands. She whips around, searching for Her Imperious Condescension. 

She sees at the far side of the boat, )(IC floats above her prey. Meenah lies collapsed on the deck and Vriska stood alone against the Condesce. From a distance, Jade could see Vriska staring her down, covered in her own blood and some sprays of pink. Her grimace disappears into a wicked smile when she catches sight of Jade. She smears blood from her face and says something to the Queen that Jade can’t hear but it makes the Batterwitch turn. She smirks and forces her will on Jade, penetrating her senses, dimming her vision….

But it sharpens again and Jade remains unmoved, triumphant. The Batterwitch scowls, and starts toward Jade. 

Vriska’s dice fall and the battle begins.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this double feature :)

CURRENT gardenGnostic [CGG] RIGHT NOW opens a memo on board time to fight back!!! :))))

CGG: hey guys :D  
CGG: i just wanted to see whos around   
CGG: theres a lot of people here  
CURRENT ghostyTrickster [CGT] responded to the memo.  
CGT: heh, yeah jade, i get it!  
CGT: me and karkat just got here, you’re right, it’s a total mess out here! I’m glad we’re in a desert.  
PAST carcinoGeneticist [PCG] 613:00 HOURS AGO responded to the memo.  
PCG: WHAT THE FUCK?  
PCG: JOHN.  
PCG: I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU FOR DAYS AND I FINALLY FUCKING FIND YOU?  
PCG: IN THE FUTURE NO LESS.  
PCG: FUTURE ME MUST BE GLOATING HIS FUCKING HOLD OVER YOU.  
PCG: HOW FUCKING CONVENIENT.  
CGT: oh yeah!  
CGT: oooooohhhhhhhhh i am from the fuuuuuuture.  
CGT: kaaaaaarkaaaaaaaaaat i must tell you my wise prophecy of our totally casual meet up oooooohhhhhhhhh.  
PCG: SHUT UP AND TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK YOU’VE BEEN.  
PCG: I’VE LOOKED HIGH AND LOW FOR YOU SINCE YOU ALL DIED.  
PCG: I’VE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH NUMBER ONE TOOL OF THE UNIVERSE AND GARDEN HAPPY PRINCESS FOR MONTHS WITH THEIR HATE FLIRTING, ARGUING AND THEN EVOLVING INTO THE REDDEST OF MUTANT BLOOD QUADRANTS WHILE SEARCHING FOR YOUR ASS.   
PCG: SO WHERE THE FUCK IS MY REWARD?  
PCG: AS *ALWAYS* FUTURE ME REAPS ALL THE BENEFITS AND I GET NOTHING.  
PCG: BY WHICH I MEAN BLISSFUL PEACE AND QUIET FROM YOUR BRIGHT AND ANNOYING SPEECH FLAPS.   
CGT: dude shhhhhh.  
CGT: shooooooooosh.  
PCG: STOP PALE FLIRTING IT’S GROSS AND INAPPROPRIATE GIVEN YOUR BLATANT ASHEN APPROACH TO ME AND STRIDER.  
CGG: oh my god guys!  
CGG: keep youre red quadrant off my memo its gross XD  
PCG: SEEING AS THAT IS CLEARLY AND UTTERLY *WRONG*  
PCG: WHY WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.  
PCG: WHY DON’T *I* KNOW ABOUT IT?  
PCG: WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU TELL ME EGBERT, I SWOON FOR YOU, THIS MUST BE LOVE.  
PCG: OH WAIT, NO IT’S NOT.  
PCG: IT’S ME SWOONING OVER MY HATE BILE THAT WANTS TO BOIL OUT OF MY MOUTH AT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.   
CGG: geez karkat, you have been for a few weeks XD  
CGG: and believe me its fine, we both know it wouldnt have worked between us :)   
PCG: I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, I NEVER HAD A CRUSH ON YOU.  
PCG: BESIDES  
PCG: EGDERP TAILING MINE AND DAVE’S ASS WAS BLATANT ASHEN.  
PCG: THIS IS PRETTY FUCKED UP VACILLATION IF YOU ASK ME.   
CGT: oh shoot, well…   
CGT: okay, i really don't want to spoil anything for you and can’t really tell you now, we’re preparing for war but you have to go find past me.  
CGT: which is for you, current me.  
CGT: and kiss him.   
PCG: WHAT.  
CGT: just trust me!   
CGT: you’ll be flustered and brain stupid but it’ll work out, i promise!  
CGT: apparently death has a tendency to make me a homosexual.   
CGT: also, death makes you really freaking attractive to dumb stupid crushing me.   
CGG: karkat dont worry about it   
CGG: just go find john and ill embarrass you more when i walk in on you guys… doing stuff???? :B  
PCG: OH MY GOD.  
PCG: YOU KNOW WHAT  
PCG: NO.  
PCG: I’M GETTING OUT OF THIS BEFORE FUTURE ME APPEARS TO TROLL THE SHIT OUT OF ME.  
CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] responded to the memo.  
CCG: WE’RE NOT LYING BRO.  
CCG: GET YOUR THINKPAN OUT OF YOUR ASS LONG ENOUGH TO REALIZE WE ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE AT LOVE.  
PCG: NOPE, FUCK THIS!  
PCG banned himself from responding to the memo.  
CCG: HOW TYPICAL OF PAST ME, THAT LITTLE SHIT.   
CCG banned himself from responding to the memo.   
CGT: jade, how could you walk in on us? we’ve never done anything.  
CGG: yeaaaaaah but he doesnt know that :D  
CURRENT turntechGodhead [CTG] responded to the memo.  
CTG: holy shit guys are you for real  
CTG: i mean i know were dead and all this inane bullshit keeps us from going batshit insane  
CTG: but do you really gotta let it clog up my pesterchum  
CTG: it makes me think im popular and then i am infinite disappointment when its just you fucking around  
CGG: oh dave, stop being silly!  
CGG: you and i have been dead for a long time, i know you think its funny  
CGG: and i know youre worried   
CGG: but were allowed to have fun  
CTG: absolutely fucking not no fun to be had  
CGG: look, heres me, being super responsible right now  
CGG: i will grow so you guys can come find me okay?  
CGG: well finish this the way we started it :)  
CGT: together?  
CGG: togeth- hey!   
CGG: bad john no finishing quotes for me!   
PAST adiosToreador [PAT] 16 MINUTES AGO responded to the memo.  
PAT: hEY GUYS, }:)  
CGG: oh hey tavros!   
CGG: how are you and gam?  
PAT: uH, wELL YOU KNOW,  
PAT: bEING TOGETHER AND ALL,  
PAT: iTS, NICE,  
CGG: im glad!  
PAT: sO, rEALLY I JUST WANTED TO ASK,  
PAT: mAYBE WE COULD COME JOIN YOU GUYS?  
PAT: i DON’T ESPECIALLY WANT TO FIGHT THE LORD OF TIME,  
PAT: sO MAYBE I CAN JUST BE SUPPORTIVE AND CHEER YOU ON,  
CGG: of course!  
CGG: though you might have to wait a bit before youll see me  
PAT: oH, rIGHT,  
PAT: tIME SHENANIGANS, aND ALL THAT,  
CTG: all the time shenanigans  
CTG: hey man  
PAT: oH,  
PAT: iT IS MY HUMAN BRO, pAL,  
PAT: i THINK THAT IS HOW THAT IS SAID,  
CTG: spot on brochacho  
PAST arachnidsGrip [PAG] 8 MINUTES AGO responded to the memo.  
PAG: Me and Meenah are coming too, of course!  
PAG: Let’s m8ke it a party, why not?   
CGG: oh, hey vriska!  
PAT: oH,  
PAT: hI,  
CGG: current you guys just showed up  
CGG: how did you find me?  
PAG: Oh, I have my ways, of course.  
PAG: I’m pretty lucky that way, remem8er? :::;)  
CGG: oh right   
CGG: well here goes!!!  
CTG: woah  
CTG: girl   
CTG: youve been practicing  
CGG: heh, thats the only reason i ever leave you dave :)  
PAG: Oh, just cull me now.  
PAG: All she does is talk a8out you when we hang out.  
PAG: It’s not even cute, just really annoying! ::::(  
CGG: mhm! :)  
CGG: quadrants aside, are you guys ready?  
CTG: to face unspeakable evil in the lord of time, jadey girl?  
CTG: yes  
CGT: yep!  
PAT: uHHHH,  
PAT: iM STILL LOOKING FOR YOU, bUT FOR THE SAKE OF ENTHUSIASM AND FRIENDSHIP, uH, lETS DO THIS,  
PAG: Found you, Jade.  
PAG: I’m telling you to grow, now go!  
CGG: love you guys  
CGG: no matter what happens :)  
CGT: aw, thanks jade!  
CTG: youre a doll, babe  
PAT: tHANKS, fRIEND,   
PAG: Yeah, yeah, s8me.  
PAG: 8ut we have to go, hurry up and make your little speech!  
PGT: where making this hapen.  
PAG banned PGT from responding to the memo.   
PAG: C’mon guys let’s get g8ing!  
PAG: Jade has grown from my perspective and alpha me needs us so where are you l8sers?  
CGG: oh, everyone is here now from my perspective :)  
CGG: you’ll see in 8 minutes!  
CGG: meanwhile goodbye to all of you, past present and future!  
PAST tentacleTherapist [PTT] 4:13 HOURS AGO responded to the memo.  
PTT: I don’t mean to be a buzzkill, but seeing as there are no future selves…  
PTT: Does that not warrant concern?  
CTG: wow sis you are a buzzkill  
PTT: Thank you, brother dear.  
CGG: hm youre right!  
CGG: maybe we should be scared  
CGG: but im not letting that stop me  
[CGG] ceased responding to the memo.  
CTG: wow dramatic much darling  
PTT: Yet you continue to court her. Perhaps there are underlying issues to this trainwreck I may analyze someday.   
CTG: nah shes just really cool  
PTT: I suppose you could be worse for her.  
PTT: More like back then.  
CTG: im trying  
CTG: rose i really love her  
PTT: I understand that that is a thing that is happening now.  
CTG: i never meant to hurt her  
CTG: and i never meant to hurt you  
CTG: we both know that  
PTT: I suppose I could perhaps give you a second chance?  
CTG: you do   
CTG: current you just got here  
PTT: …  
CTG: …   
PTT: …   
PTT: self fulfilling prophecies aside…  
PTT: I will give you a second chance. I would like for you to be my family again.  
CTG: me too  
CTG: thanks rose  
CTG: for real  
PAG: Well this is all very touching 8ut I’m ducking out now.  
PAG: John just got here with Karkat and I need to injure him for his antics.  
[PAG] ceased responding to the memo.  
PAT: yEAH, jADE JUST GREW FOR ME, sO ME AND GAM ARE GOING TO HER,  
PAT: bYE,  
[PAT] ceased responding to the memo.  
CTG: im gonna go help you with vriska   
CTG: shes currently murdered John a couple times and youre arguing that its not good for him  
CTG: go figure the day we fight for all ghostkind theyre over there murdering each other  
CTG: see you sis  
PTT: Good luck, Dave.   
PTT: I'll see you soon.   
[CTG] ceased responding to the memo   
[PTT] ceased responding to the memo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perfect double mobius reacharound B) hooray for dubiously happy endings! I really hope you guys liked this story, its taken months, you know, haha
> 
> but of course, tell me what you thought, if you kinda wish it went down differently... if maybe you knew how to edit the colors so i could do that >.>...
> 
> but i love you all, thank you for this opportunity!

**Author's Note:**

> By all means give me some feedback, I welcome it!
> 
> Thank you so much for any time spent on this!


End file.
